Human exposure to environmental health concern by types of urban environment: The case of Tel Aviv.
This study classifies urban environments into types characterized by different exposure to environmental risk factors measured by general sense of discomfort and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). We hypothesize that a set of environmental factors (micro-climatic, CO, noise and individual heart rate) that were measured simultaneously in random locations can provide a better understanding of the distribution of human exposure to environmental loads throughout the urban space than results calculated based on measurements from close fixed stations. We measured micro-climatic and thermal load, CO and noise, individual Heart Rate, Subjective Social Load and Sense of Discomfort (SD) were tested by questionnaire survey. The results demonstrate significant differences in exposure to environmental factors among 8 types of urban environments. It appears that noise and social load are the more significant environmental factors to enhance health risks and general sense of discomfort.
Department of Geography and Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Izhak
I
Schnell
Department of Geography and Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Geography, Beit Berl Academic College, Beit Berl, Israel. Electronic address: potchter@post.tau.ac.il.
Oded
O
Potchter
Department of Geography and Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Yaron
Y
Yaakov
Heller Institute of Medical Research, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer and The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Yoram
Y
Epstein
D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D001831:Body Temperature; D002947:Cities; D004777:Environment; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004782:Environmental Health; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009622:Noise; D000068316:Parks, Recreational; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014504:Urban Health
Air pollution; Measurements techniques; Noise; Personal exposure; Social stress; Thermal comfort; Urban micro-environments