Modifying temperature-related cardiovascular mortality through green-blue space exposure

Kejia Hu, Shiyi Wang, Fangrong Fei, Jinglu Song, Feng Chen, Qi Zhao, Yujie Shen, Jingqiao Fu, Yunquan Zhang, Jian Chen, Jieming Zhong*, Xuchao Yang*, Jiayu Wu*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Green-blue spaces (GBS) are pivotal in mitigating thermal discomfort. However, their management lacks guidelines rooted in epidemiological evidence for specific planning and design. Here we show how various GBS types modify the link between non-optimal temperatures and cardiovascular mortality across different thermal extremes. We merged fine-scale population density and GBS data to create novel GBS exposure index. A case time series approach was employed to analyse temperature-cardiovascular mortality association and the effect modifications of type-specific GBSs across 1085 subdistricts in south-eastern China. Our findings indicate that both green and blue spaces may significantly reduce high-temperature-related cardiovascular mortality risks (e.g., for low (5%) vs. high (95%) level of overall green spaces at 99th vs. minimum mortality temperature (MMT), Ratio of relative risk (RRR) = 1.14 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.21); for overall blue spaces, RRR = 1.20 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.29)), while specific blue space types offer protection against cold temperatures (e.g., for the rivers at 1st vs MMT, RRR = 1.17 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.28)). Notably, forests, parks, nature reserves, street greenery, and lakes are linked with lower heat-related cardiovascular mortality, whereas rivers and coasts mitigate cold-related cardiovascular mortality. Blue spaces provide greater benefits than green spaces. The severity of temperature extremes further amplifies GBS's protective effects. This study enhances our understanding of how type-specific GBS influences health risks associated with non-optimal temperatures, offering valuable insights for integrating GBS into climate adaptation strategies for maximal health benefits.

Original languageEnglish
Article number100408
JournalEnvironmental Science and Ecotechnology
Volume20
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2024

Keywords

  • Blue space
  • China
  • Green space
  • Mortality
  • Temperature

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Modifying temperature-related cardiovascular mortality through green-blue space exposure'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this