Association Between Natural/Built Campus Environment and Depression Among Chinese Undergraduates: Multiscale Evidence for the Moderating Role of Socioeconomic Factors After Controlling for Residential Self-Selection

Frontiers in Public Health

article

Haoran Yang¹  Xiangfen Cui²  Martin Dijst³  Senlin Tian²  Jie Chen⁴  Jianhong Huang² 

[1] The Centre for Modern Chinese City Studies, Research Center for China Administrative Division, Future City Lab, East China Normal University;Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology;Department of Urban Development and Mobility, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research;Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology

关键词: natural environment;    built environment;    multiple scales;    depressive symptoms;    moderating effect;    undergraduates;    China;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2022.844541

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Aim Evidence on the association between natural-built environments and depression is largely derived from the general population and prone to residential self-selection bias because of the nature of cross-sectional research design. Despite emerging adulthood, which includes the university years, is a critical stage for forming life-long health habits, studies on this topic focusing on undergraduate students are limited. The current study aims to illustrate the underlying mechanisms for how the campus-based environments affect depression in undergraduate students. Methods Based on a nationwide representative analytical sample of 22,009 Chinese undergraduates in 2018, we examined participants' reports of depression and campus-centered natural/built environments within multiple buffer sizes including 0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 km. After disentangling residential self-selection, we explored the moderating role of the socioeconomic attributes of undergraduates. The depression outcome was measured by the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9). Indicators of exposure to green and blue space, transportation infrastructure, and food environments were objectively assessed using different circular buffers around each campus address. Results Modeling results indicated that campus neighborhoods with more scattered trees (0.5 km), water (0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 km), and street intersections (1.0 and 2.5 km) were protective against depression. In contrast, those living near denser distributions of outlets serving take-away sweets and fast food (0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 km) were susceptible to depression. These associations were modified by undergraduates' socioeconomic attributes (e.g., grade, Hukou status, and ethnicity) and varied according to geographical scales and exposure metrics. Conclusion To deliver effective environmental interventions to curb the prevalence of depression among undergraduate students, further planning policies should focus on the careful conception of the campus-based environment, especially regarding different spatial scales.

【 授权许可】

CC BY