Adding natural areas to social indicators of intra-urban health inequalities among children

A case study from Berlin, Germany

authored by

Nadja Kabisch, Dagmar Haase, Matilda Annerstedt Van Den Bosch

Abstract

Research suggests that there is a relationship between the health of urban populations and the availability of green and water spaces in their daily environment. In this paper, we analyze the potential intra-urban relationships between children’s health determinants and outcomes and natural areas in Berlin, Germany. In particular, health indicators such as deficits in viso-motoric development in children are related to environmental indicators such as the natural area cover, natural area per capita and distance to natural areas; however, these indicators are also correlated with social determinants of health. The methodological approach used in this study included bivariate and multivariate analyses to explore the relations between health inequalities and social, socio-economic, and land use parameters. The results on a sub-district level indicated that there was a correlation between natural areas and social health determinants, both of which displayed a certain intra-urban spatial pattern. In particular, a lower percentage of natural area cover was correlated with deficits in viso-motoric development. However, results with percentage of natural area cover and per capita natural area with childhood overweight were not conclusive. No significant correlation was found for percentage of natural area cover and overweight, while significant negative correlation values were found between overweight and per capita natural area. This was identified particularly in the districts that had lower social conditions. On the other hand, the districts with the highest social conditions had the comparatively lowest levels of complete measles immunization. This study may facilitate public health work by identifying the urban areas in which the strengthening of health resources and actions should be prioritized and also calls for the inclusion of natural areas among the social health indicators included in intra-urban health inequality tools.

External Organisation(s)

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin)
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
University of British Columbia
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)

Type

Article

Journal

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Volume

13

ISSN

1661-7827

Publication date

04.08.2016

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pollution, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being, SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 15 - Life on Land

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13080783 (Access: Open)