Australian-authored research adds evidence linking community health outcomes with access to local green space

May 5, 2024

Two newly published Australian-authored health research papers have added new weight to the growing body of evidence linking community health outcomes with access to local green space.

Published in Elsevier's Science Direct and Environment International journals, the papers not only demonstrates a clear correlation between residential proximity to greenspace and health outcomes, but also detail the relationship to the incidence of, and hospital costs associated with, cardiovascular disease (CDV).

The first systematic review on green space exposure and healthcare prescriptions and expenditures, The economics of nature's healing touch: A systematic review and conceptual framework of green space, pharmaceutical prescriptions, and healthcare expenditure associations assessed 26 previous studies with 242 associations finding that 77% of these studies reported protected associations of green space on healthcare outcomes.

It reported "green spaces play a crucial role in promoting sustainable and healthy lives (with) recent evidence showings that green space also may reduce the need for healthcare, prescription medications and associated costs."

Show me the money! Associations between tree canopy and hospital costs in cities for cardiovascular disease events in a longitudinal cohort study of 110,134 participants tests previous assumptions of the health benefits from urban greening and how they translate into reduced healthcare expenditure.

Lead authors Dr Thomas Astell-Burt’s and Xiaoqi Feng, advise that their study reveals "the lower burden of CVD and fewer associated hospitalisations stemming from upstream investments that protect and restore urban tree canopy, which not only translates into substantial reduced costs for the health sector, but also helps to create regenerative cities and flourishing communities."

An additional recent study from the Turner Institute at Monash University also shows a clear link between poor access to greenspace and the development of dementia and strokes.

Click here to access The economics of nature's healing touch: A systematic review and conceptual framework of green space, pharmaceutical prescriptions, and healthcare expenditure associations

Click here to access Show me the money! Associations between tree canopy and hospital costs in cities for cardiovascular disease events in a longitudinal cohort study of 110,134 participants

Images: A growing body of evidence links community health outcomes with access to local green space (top, credit: Fitbit) and a graphic from the The economics of nature's healing touch study (below, credit: Elsevier).

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