Explaining urban-rural variations in health: A review of interactions between individual and environment

Abstract

In order to gain insight into the relation between health and people's environment, literature published between 1985 and 1994 was gathered from several international databases. An introduction into existing theory regarding geographic disparities is presented: geographical drift and breeder hypotheses are discussed. This is followed by a critical review focusing on interaction effects of urbanicity and individual characteristics on health. This leads to two major conclusions. First, emphasis in past research has been primarily on urban constraints rather than opportunities. Positive aspects of urban living are often insufficiently appreciated. Second, positive and negative environmental aspects have an effect on health that is often dependent on individual characteristics. The extent to which the environment exerts influence on a person's health is dependent on that person's individual characteristics. These conclusions are relevant only for further developing the breeder hypothesis, however. Large scale individual based longitudinal data should be studied in order to gain more insight into the relative importance of the geographical drift hypothesis.

Natural Environments—Healthy Environments? An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship between Greenspace and Health

“…Therefore, we cannot ignore the possibility that the amount of greenspace is`simply' a new indicator for level of urbanity. This would imply that the relationship between greenspace and health might be explained by the same mechanisms as suggested for the relationship between urbanity and health, for example, a less healthy lifestyle in more urban areas (Verheij, 1995).…”

“…For this indicator, the municipal level was considered to be more appropriate than that of neighbourhoods, because household density was meant as an indicator not only of an urban physical environment, but also of an`urban' style of life. An`urban' lifestyle is generally regarded as an important factor in explaining rural^urban differences in health (Verheij, 1995).…”

“…The issue raised above not only touches upon important political issues, but it also relates to the international literature on the relationship between urbanity and health (for an overview, see Verheij, 1995). People living in urban areas are generally found to be less healthy than people living in more rural areas.…”

Life-course and cohort trajectories of mental health in the UK, 1991–2008 – A multilevel age–period–cohort analysis

“…Many of these associations are complex, only occurring within certain groups. For example, urbanity (Verheij, 1996) and socio-economic status (Weich & Lewis, 1998a) has been found to predict mental health particularly for women and the elderly.…”

China's transition: The effect of rapid urbanization on adult occupational physical activity

“…Urban-rural disparities are a major field of study in public health, in both the developed and developing worlds, and studies have reported both positive and negative health outcomes with urban living (Galea & Vlahov, 2005;McDade & Adair, 2001;Sobngwi, Mbanya, Unwin, Porcher, Kengne, Fezeu et al, 2004;Torun, Stein, Schroeder, Grajeda, Conlisk, Rodriguez et al, 2002;Verheij, 1996). In these analyses we utilize a multidimensional measure designed specifically for the CHNS to capture urbanization from the physical, social, cultural, and economic environments (Mendez & Popkin, 2005).…”