The good, the bad, and the environment: developing an area-based measure of access to health-promoting and health-constraining environments in New Zealand

International Journal of Health Geographics

Lukas Marek¹  Jesse Wiki¹  Malcolm Campbell²  Simon Kingham²  Matthew Hobbs³ 

[1] GeoHealth Laboratory, Geospatial Research Institute, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand;GeoHealth Laboratory, Geospatial Research Institute, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand;School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand;GeoHealth Laboratory, Geospatial Research Institute, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand;School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury, Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand;

关键词: Accessibility;    Built environment;    Food environment;    GIS;    Health;    Healthy cities;    Natural environment;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12942-021-00269-x

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAccounting for the co-occurrence of multiple environmental influences is a more accurate reflection of population exposure than considering isolated influences, aiding in understanding the complex interactions between environments, behaviour and health. This study examines how environmental ‘goods’ such as green spaces and environmental ‘bads’ such as alcohol outlets co-occur to develop a nationwide area-level healthy location index (HLI) for New Zealand.MethodsNationwide data were collected, processed, and geocoded on a comprehensive range of environmental exposures. Health-constraining ‘bads’ were represented by: (i) fast-food outlets, (ii) takeaway outlets, (iii) dairy outlets and convenience stores, (iv) alcohol outlets, (v) and gaming venues. Health-promoting ‘goods’ were represented by: (i) green spaces, (ii) blue spaces, (iii) physical activity facilities, (iv) fruit and vegetable outlets, and (v) supermarkets. The HLI was developed based on ranked access to environmental domains. The HLI was then used to investigate socio-spatial patterning by area-level deprivation and rural/urban classification.ResultsResults showed environmental ‘goods’ and ‘bads’ co-occurred together and were patterned by area-level deprivation. The novel HLI shows that the most deprived areas of New Zealand often have the most environmental ‘bads’ and less access to environmental ‘goods’.ConclusionsThe index, that is now publicly available, is able to capture both inter-regional and local variations in accessibility to health-promoting and health-constraining environments and their combination. Results in this study further reinforce the need to embrace the multidimensional nature of neighbourhood and place not only when designing health-promoting places, but also when studying the effect of existing built environments on population health.

【 授权许可】

CC BY