Diversity Supplement to Urban Greenness and Cardiovascular Health

摘要 广泛的研究表明，自然环境的组成部分有深远的影响， 对人类健康的影响。特别是，生活在低污染和高污染地区的个人， 据报道，植被具有较低的心血管疾病（CVD）负担。虽然 许多研究表明，暴露于空气污染会增加心血管疾病的风险和死亡率， 绿地和植被对CVD的影响尚未直接研究。因此，评估 绿化对心血管健康和疾病风险的影响，我们将进行一个务实的， 一项干预性试验，旨在检验暴露于社区绿地的假设， 通过降低当地空气污染水平来降低CVD风险。为了验证这个假设，我们将 首先在16个居民区集群中评估基线心血管健康， 绿地（目标1）。在这些地区，我们将测量绿化水平，空气污染，噪音 和交通，并确定这些社区特征如何与医院 以及心血管和全因死亡率。为了获取个体水平数据， 我们将招募700名当地居民，评估他们的心血管健康和心理社会状况， 应力然后，在8个“目标”集群中，我们将种植近8，000棵已建立的树木（目标2）。会 在8个“控制”集群中没有刻意改变绿地。随着绿化 干预，我们将确定目标集群内绿地的增加如何影响 空气污染水平、住院率和死亡率，以及绿化干预如何影响 与对照区相比，该社区的心血管疾病风险和心理社会压力（Aim 3）。该项目的完成将使人们对城市与城市之间的联系有一个新的认识。 绿色空间和心血管健康，并可能导致制定新的战略， 预防心血管疾病和降低城市空气污染水平。重要的是， 该项目将导致制定一个全面的模式， 世界各地的城市，以创造更有利于人类的城市环境， 健康

Abstract Extensive research suggests that components of the natural environment have profound effects on human health. In particular, individuals living in areas of low pollution and high levels of vegetation have been reported to have a lower burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although many studies have shown that exposure to air pollution increases CVD risk and mortality, the impact of greenspaces and vegetation on CVD has not been directly studied. Hence to assess the impact of greenery on cardiovascular health and disease risk, we will conduct a pragmatic, interventional trial designed to test the hypothesis that exposure to neighborhood greenspaces diminishes CVD risk by decreasing the levels of local air pollution. To test this hypothesis, we will first evaluate baseline cardiovascular health in 16 residential neighborhood clusters with sparse greenspaces (Aim 1). In these areas, we will measure the levels of greenery, air pollution, noise and traffic, and determine how these neighborhood characteristics are associated with hospital admissions, as well as cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. To acquire individual level data, we will recruit 700 area residents and assess their cardiovascular health as well as psychosocial stress. Then, in 8 “target” clusters, we will plant nearly 8,000 established trees (Aim 2). There will be no deliberate change in greenspace in the 8 “control” clusters. Following the greening intervention, we will determine how an increase in greenspaces within the target clusters affects air pollution levels, hospital admissions and mortality, and how the greening intervention affects CVD risk and psychosocial stress within this community in comparison with the control area (Aim 3). Completion of this project would provide a new understanding of the link between urban greenspaces and cardiovascular health, and might lead to the development of new strategies to prevent CVD and to decrease the levels of urban air pollution. Importantly, the results of the project will lead to the development of a comprehensive model that could be readily adopted by cities throughout the world to create urban environments that are more conducive to human health.