Exploring the nexus of urban form, transport, environment and health in large-scale urban studies: A state-of-the-art scoping review

Georgia M. Dyer, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fern'andez Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
Sasha Khomenko, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fern'andez Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
Deepti Adlakha, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 5, 2628, Delft, Netherlands.
Susan Anenberg, Environmental and Occupational Health Department, George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, 20052, New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, District of Colombia, United States.
Martin Behnisch, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, Weberpl 1, 01217, Dresden, Germany.
Geoff Boeing, University of Southern California, 90007, Los Angeles, United States.
Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia; School of Science, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
Antonio Gasparrini, Environment & Health Modelling (EHM) Lab, Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, WC1E 7HT, London, United Kingdom.
Haneen Khreis, MRC Epidemiology Unit, Cambridge University, CB2 0AH, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Michelle C. Kondo, USDA-Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 100 North 20th Street, Ste 205, 19103, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Pierre Masselot, Environment & Health Modelling (EHM) Lab, Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, WC1E 7HT, London, United Kingdom.
Robert I. McDonald, The Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive Arlington, 22203, Virginia, United States.
Federica Montana, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fern'andez Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
Rich Mitchell, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow, G20 0TY, United Kingdom.
Natalie Mueller, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fern'andez Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
M Omar Nawaz, Environmental and Occupational Health Department, George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, 20052, New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, District of Colombia, United States.
Enrico Pisoni, European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 2749, Ispra, Italy.
Rafael Prieto-Curiel, Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädter Straße 39, 1080, Vienna, Austria.
Nazanin Rezaei, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, 95064, California, United States.
Hannes Taubenböck, German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Earth Observation Center (EOC), 82234, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany; Institute for Geography and Geology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
Cathryn Tonne, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fern'andez Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
Daniel Velázquez-Cortés, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fern'andez Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Melchor Fern'andez Almagro, 3-5, 28029, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: mark.nieuwenhuijsen@isglobal.org.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

6-4-2024

Journal

Environmental research

Volume

257

DOI

10.1016/j.envres.2024.119324

Abstract

BACKGROUND: As the world becomes increasingly urbanised, there is recognition that public and planetary health relies upon a ubiquitous transition to sustainable cities. Disentanglement of the complex pathways of urban design, environmental exposures, and health, and the magnitude of these associations, remains a challenge. A state-of-the-art account of large-scale urban health studies is required to shape future research priorities and equity- and evidence-informed policies. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this review was to synthesise evidence from large-scale urban studies focused on the interaction between urban form, transport, environmental exposures, and health. This review sought to determine common methodologies applied, limitations, and future opportunities for improved research practice. METHODS: Based on a literature search, 2958 articles were reviewed that covered three themes of: urban form; urban environmental health; and urban indicators. Studies were prioritised for inclusion that analysed at least 90 cities to ensure broad geographic representation and generalisability. Of the initially identified studies, following expert consultation and exclusion criteria, 66 were included. RESULTS: The complexity of the urban ecosystem on health was evidenced from the context dependent effects of urban form variables on environmental exposures and health. Compact city designs were generally advantageous for reducing harmful environmental exposure and promoting health, with some exceptions. Methodological heterogeneity was indicative of key urban research challenges; notable limitations included exposure and health data at varied spatial scales and resolutions, limited availability of local-level sociodemographic data, and the lack of consensus on robust methodologies that encompass best research practice. CONCLUSION: Future urban environmental health research for evidence-informed urban planning and policies requires a multi-faceted approach. Advances in geospatial and AI-driven techniques and urban indicators offer promising developments; however, there remains a wider call for increased data availability at local-levels, transparent and robust methodologies of large-scale urban studies, and greater exploration of urban health vulnerabilities and inequities.

Department

Environmental and Occupational Health

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