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Cited by 187

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 8 of the 8 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Green cities and health: a question of scale?

Open access
Richardson, Elizabeth A, Mitchell, Richard, Hartig, Terry, de Vries, Sjerp, Astell-Burt, Thomas, Frumkin, Howard·2012·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health

Abstract

Background: Cities are expanding and accommodating an increasing proportion of the world's population. It is important to identify features of urban form that promote the health of city dwellers. Access to green space has been associated with health benefits at both individual and neighbourhood level. We investigated whether a relationship between green space coverage and selected mortality rates exists at the city level in the USA. Methods: An ecological cross-sectional study. A detailed land use data set was used to quantify green space for the largest US cities (n=49, combined population of 43 million). Linear regression models were used to examine the association between city-level ‘greenness’ and city-level standardised rates of mortality from heart disease, diabetes, lung cancer, motor vehicle fatalities and all causes, after adjustment for confounders. Results: There was no association between greenness and mortality from heart disease, diabetes, lung cancer or automobile accidents. Mortality from all causes was significantly higher in greener cities. Conclusions: While considerable evidence suggests that access to green space yields health benefits, we found no such evidence at the scale of the American city. In the USA, greener cities tend also to be more sprawling and have higher levels of car dependency. Any benefits that the green space might offer seem easily eclipsed by these other conditions and the lifestyles that accompany them. The result merits further investigation as it has important implications for how we increase green space access in our cities.

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Metadata

Authors
Richardson, E. A., Mitchell, R., Hartig, T., de Vries, S., Astell-Burt, T., & Frumkin, H.
Venue
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2011-10-14
Volume
66
Issue
2
Pages
160-165
ISSN
  • 0141-7681 (ISSN-L)
  • 0143-005X
  • 1470-2738
OpenAlex
W2147031808
Cited by
187
References
8
FWCI
6.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
green

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Green cities and health: a question of scale? https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1136/jech.2011.137240
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Richardson, E. A., Mitchell, R., Hartig, T., de Vries, S., Astell-Burt, T., & Frumkin, H. (2012). Green cities and health: a question of scale? Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2011.137240

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