Raf Aerts1, Naomi Vanlessen2, Sebastien Dujardin3, Benoit Nemery4, An Van Nieuwenhuyse5, Mariska Bauwelinck6, Lidia Casas7, Claire Demoury8, Michelle Plusquin9, Tim S Nawrot10. 1. Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Division Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium. Electronic address: raf.aerts@sciensano.be. 2. Division Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: vanlessen.naomi@gmail.com. 3. Department of Geography, Institute of Life Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium. Electronic address: sebastien.dujardin@unamur.be. 4. Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: ben.nemery@kuleuven.be. 5. Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: an.vannieuwenhuyse@kuleuven.be. 6. Interface Demography, Department of Sociology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 5, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: mariska.bauwelinck@vub.be. 7. Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1-R.232, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: lidia.casasruiz@uantwerpen.be. 8. Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: claire.demoury@sciensano.be. 9. Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium. Electronic address: michelle.plusquin@uhasselt.be. 10. Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium; Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: tim.nawrot@uhasselt.be.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Residential green space has been associated with mental health benefits, but how such associations vary with green space types is insufficiently known. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate associations between types and quantities of green space and sales of mood disorder medication in Belgium. METHODS: We used aggregated sales data of psycholeptics and psychoanaleptics prescribed to adults from 2006 to 2014. Generalized mixed effects models were used to investigate associations between relative covers of woodland, low-green, grassland, and garden, and average annual medication sales. Models were adjusted for socio-economic background variables, urban-rural differences, and administrative region, and included random effects of latitude and longitude. RESULTS: Urban census tracts were associated with 9-10% higher medication sales. In nationwide models, a 10% increase in relative cover of woodland, garden, and grass was associated with a 1-2% decrease in medication sales. The same association was found for low green but only for men. In stratified models, a 10% increase in relative cover of any green space type in urban census tracts was associated with a decrease of medication sales by 1-3%. In rural census tracts, no protective associations between green space and mood disorder medication sales were observed, with the exception of relative woodland cover for women (-1%), and low green was associated with higher medication sales (+6-7%). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results suggest that living in green environments may be beneficial for adult mental health. Woodland exposure seemed the most beneficial, but the amount of green space was more important than the type. Results underline the importance of conserving green space in our living environment, for the conservation of biodiversity and for human health.
BACKGROUND: Residential green space has been associated with mental health benefits, but how such associations vary with green space types is insufficiently known. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate associations between types and quantities of green space and sales of mood disorder medication in Belgium. METHODS: We used aggregated sales data of psycholeptics and psychoanaleptics prescribed to adults from 2006 to 2014. Generalized mixed effects models were used to investigate associations between relative covers of woodland, low-green, grassland, and garden, and average annual medication sales. Models were adjusted for socio-economic background variables, urban-rural differences, and administrative region, and included random effects of latitude and longitude. RESULTS: Urban census tracts were associated with 9-10% higher medication sales. In nationwide models, a 10% increase in relative cover of woodland, garden, and grass was associated with a 1-2% decrease in medication sales. The same association was found for low green but only for men. In stratified models, a 10% increase in relative cover of any green space type in urban census tracts was associated with a decrease of medication sales by 1-3%. In rural census tracts, no protective associations between green space and mood disorder medication sales were observed, with the exception of relative woodland cover for women (-1%), and low green was associated with higher medication sales (+6-7%). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results suggest that living in green environments may be beneficial for adult mental health. Woodland exposure seemed the most beneficial, but the amount of green space was more important than the type. Results underline the importance of conserving green space in our living environment, for the conservation of biodiversity and for human health.
Authors: Dengkai Chi; Raf Aerts; An Van Nieuwenhuyse; Mariska Bauwelinck; Claire Demoury; Michelle Plusquin; Tim S Nawrot; Lidia Casas; Ben Somers Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2022-05-11 Impact factor: 11.035