Healthy Land? An Examination of the Area-Level Association between Brownfield Land and Morbidity and Mortality in England

Abstract

Abstract. It is increasingly understood that the physical environment remains an important determinant of area-level health and spatial and socioeconomic health inequalities. Existing research has largely focused on the health effects of differential access to green space, the proximity of waste facilities, or air pollution. The role of brownfield-or previously developed-land has been largely overlooked. This is the case even in studies that utilise multiple measures of environmental deprivation. This paper presents the results of the first national-scale empirical examination of the association between brownfield land and morbidity and mortality, using data from England. 434C Bambra, S Robertson, A Kasim and coworkers mortality ratios from 1998/99 to 2002/03 were examined using linear mixed modelling (adjusting for potential environmental, socioeconomic, and demographic confounders). A significant and strong, adjusted, area-level association was found between brownfield land and morbidity: people living in wards with a high proportion of brownfield land are significantly more likely to suffer from poorer health than those living in wards with a small proportion of brownfield land. This suggests that brownfield land could potentially be an important and previously overlooked independent environmental determinant of population health in England. The remediation and redevelopment of brownfield land should therefore be considered as a public health policy issue.

Which urban land covers/uses are associated with residents’ mortality? A cross-sectional, ecological, pan-European study of 233 cities

“…Cities depend on their residents for economic, social, cultural and environmental prosperity and maintaining a diverse, skilled and satisfied residential population is vital for a city since their disenchantment could trigger a vicious downward spiral 32. Dereliction of cities has been linked to decreasing employment rates due to many individuals, particularly younger and educated, migrating from these areas to more prosperous cities33 and individuals living in areas with a high proportion of brownfield land are significantly more likely to suffer from poorer health than those with a lower proportion 34. Although derelict and vacant land covers/uses remain in both Western and Eastern European regions and was a national problem in many Western cities during the mid/late 20th century as many industries declined or closed,33 there is country-specific evidence that areas of these land covers/uses are decreasing.…”

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“…Los impactos percibidos proceden no sólo del proyecto en fase de ejecución, sino también de la no intervención, la indefinición y la dilación. La falta de cumplimiento de las promesas y propuestas de regeneración de una zona degradada desde el punto de vista económico y medioambiental repercute negativamente en la salud poblacional tanto en su vertiente física 20,21 como psicosocial 22 , porque mantiene a los colectivos más vulnerables expuestos a condiciones ambientales negativas, baja autoestima colectiva y escaso sentido de pertenencia y comunidad 23 , reforzando las desigualdades sociales en salud en estas poblaciones 24 .…”

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“…It may be seen as a place that the outside world has forgotten and doesn't care about. There may be social stigma attached to living near VDL or in a neighborhood with high concentrations of VDL , Garvin et al 2012, Bambra et al 2014. This may also be accompanied by direct economic impacts and financial strains, feelings of lack of control over their surroundings and lives, and fears about crime and safety (Lorenc et al 2012).…”