Wednesday, April 2, 2025
4/2/2025
Urban Greenness and Cardiovascular Health - ABSTRACT Although the results of many studies suggest that urban greenspaces have conducive effects of health, from extant data it is difficult to isolate causal links or to identify the environmental and physiological processes that contribute to the health-promoting effect of greenery. A better understanding and assessment of the health effects of urban greenness is, therefore, needed to optimize its public health impact. To examine the effects of greenness directly, we initiated the Green Heart Project, which is a community based clinical trial to test the hypothesis that increasing neighborhood greenery diminishes the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by decreasing the levels of local air pollutants. In the first phase of the phase of the project, we acquired baseline data on neighborhood characteristics and community health from 8 control (C) and 8 adjacent target (T) clusters of neighborhoods in Louisville, KY. We acquired aerial hyperspectral and LiDAR scans of the area and conducted stationary and mobile monitoring to develop high-resolution maps of local air pollution. We conducted in-person exams to acquire baseline physical and psychosocial data. After acquiring baseline data, we planted mostly evergreen mature trees, and upon completion of planting, we evaluated changes in pollution and reacquired health data from in-person exams. We now plan to conduct follow-up studies to determine the long-term effects of the greening intervention on the levels of air pollutants and the health of individuals living in the neighborhood. For this, we assess CVD risk and psychosocial characteristics, and collect biospecimens from the cohort every 2 years for the next 4 years to quantify the impact of changes in greenery and greenness-related neighborhood characteristics on differences in cardiovascular health. Using high-resolution hyperspectral and LiDAR imagery, we will determine the effects of the greening intervention on neighborhood greenery and measure changes in air pollution, temperature, and noise to evaluate whether the healthful effects of greenery are related to positive changes in neighborhood characteristics. To ensure sustainability, we will identify barriers and facilitators, including how urban greenness is perceived, used, and maintained, and estimate the ecosystem services provided by the increase in greenery. Successful completion of the project will lead to a rigorous and direct evaluation of the link between greenspaces and cardiovascular health. Findings of the project will help delineate the contribution of environmental, psychological, social, and physical factors to the beneficial effects of greenery and guide the development of new strategies for increasing sustainable healthfulness of urban neighborhoods. By evaluating the impact of greenness on pollution and temperature, the project could provide new insights into mitigating the effects of climate change. Lessons learned from implementation and sustainability and long-term cost-benefit analyses of the greening intervention could inform the development of large-scale environmental interventions to promote community health. Collectively, these results could inform new public health policies, and facilitate evidence-based optimization of ongoing greening efforts worldwide.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).