The relation between greenspace exposure and mental health

Project Summary

Exposure to greenspaces in urban areas has been linked to better mental health and brain function. However, current research faces challenges. Many studies use different ways to measure greenery (such as satellite-view and eye-level images), and these methods often have different values. Moreover, the context of research and how greenery affects different health outcomes is ignored, and the same approach is used in most studies. These differences (and more) make it hard to compare studies or draw clear conclusions.

This research will utilize the health-related indicators available in the CLSA dataset to formulate a data-driven composite metric to measure urban greenery that uses different data types. The metric will be tailored for different health indicators and compared to the ones researchers currently use. This could lead to a better scientific basis for quantifying green spaces and understanding how they affect our health.