title: Effects of changing exposure to neighbourhood greenness on general and mental health: A longitudinal study.
abstract: Green neighbourhood environments have been associated with physical and psychological wellbeing in adults. Access to greenness is potentially more important in vulnerable subgroups. In this study based on longitudinal survey data from southern Sweden the cohort was divided into prognostic groups for good self-reported general (n=8891) and mental (n=9444) health. We used independent survey data to assess perceived neighbourhood greenness in 1km(2) areas, and estimated effects of changing exposure longitudinally stratified by prognostic group. The overall effect on health was small and statistically uncertain (for general health OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.98-1.10, for mental health OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00-1.14). A more beneficial effect of increased greenness was indicated among subjects with lowest prognostic of good general health (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.52). The study provided only weak evidence for beneficial effects of increased neighbourhood greenness triggered by changing residence. It seems that altered life circumstances, e.g. changed civil or socioeconomic status that often trigger a decision to move, are also the key determinants of the health consequences of changing residence.
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 22185 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: hanna.weimann@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weimann
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 22185 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: lars.rylander@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rylander
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 22185 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: maria.albin@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albin
authors.affiliation: Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden. Electronic address: erik.skarback@slu.se.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skärbäck
authors.affiliation: Department of Work Science, Business Economics and Environmental Psychology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden. Electronic address: patrik.grahn@slu.se.
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grahn
authors.affiliation: Division of Social Medicine and Global Health, Lund University, 21428 Malmö, Sweden. Electronic address: per-olof.ostergren@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Per-Olof
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Östergren
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 22185 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: jonas.bjork@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Björk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068316:Parks, Recreational; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: General health; Green quality; Longitudinal data; Mental health; Neighborhood perceptions