Birth cohort environmental context

Abstract

OPS 04: Environmental justice, Room 117, Floor 1, August 27, 2019, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Background/Aim: An extensive body of literature indicates that green/blue spaces can be beneficial for promoting human health. A wide range of physical and mental health conditions appear to be mitigated by exposure to these natural environments, especially in urban areas. It is theorised that multiple physiological and psychological pathways may coalesce and promote good health outcomes. There is also evidence that health benefits of greenspace may be amplified for populations of lower socio-economic status, but these populations also often have reduced access to health promoting environments. This doctoral research project is investigating exposure to natural environments and health outcomes over the life course in childhood and adolescence, in the context of socio-demographic health inequalities. Methods: The study uses birth cohort data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and Born in Bradford (BiB). Preliminary analyses were conducted using the BiB cohort study area to investigate greenspace accessibility for a socio-economically and ethnically diverse population in Bradford, UK. Results: A combination of statistical and spatial analyses identified contrasting distributions of urban green infrastructure in relation to population demographics. Street tree density was highest among more deprived neighbourhoods and those with larger Asian/Asian British populations. Conversely, less deprived neighbourhoods and those with larger White populations had better access to public greenspace. Greenspace quality was assessed, and while being highly spatially clustered, it was not distributed unevenly in relation to population socio-demographics. Conclusions: The context for this birth cohort study indicates complex inequalities in greenspace accessibility. The study will build on these results to investigate life course exposures and outcomes, and consideration will be given to the complex dynamics between population demographics and urban green infrastructure that exist in urban environments, and how this could influence perceptions, behaviours and health.