A systematic review of the relationship between natural environments and physiological and mental health during different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has altered how individuals interact with natural environments. Numerous studies have investigated the effects of such environments on health. However, how natural environments influenced individuals' physiological and mental health during various stages of the COVID-19 pandemic remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the effects of natural environments on individuals' physiological and mental health during different stages of the pandemic; we also identified factors that mediated these effects. Overall, we evaluated the importance of natural environments during challenging times. This study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The pandemic period was divided into three stages on the basis of severity: pandemic (March 2020 - February 2022), easing (February 2022-September 2022), and post-acute COVID pandemic (September 2022 - present). An initial pool of 3018 studies was narrowed down to a final sample of 73 studies. During the pandemic stage, individuals frequenting public green spaces exhibited improved well-being, reduced stress levels, and a sense of nature deprivation. Private green spaces played crucial roles in maintaining health during the pandemic stage. Highquality window views were associated with improved well-being and reduced depression. During the easing stage, the environmental quality of public green spaces influenced individuals' perceived safety and sense of belonging. And coastal areas were the preferred natural destinations in this stage. During the post-acute COVID pandemic stage, individuals acknowledged the importance of natural environments in maintaining physiological and mental health as they gradually returned to prepandemic normalcy. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted humanity's reliance on nature. Therefore, sufficient urban spaces should be dedicated to preservation of natural environments to mitigate negative emotions arising from prolonged indoor stays.

Measuring Neighborhood Walkable Environments: A Comparison of Three Approaches.

Multiple studies have revealed the impact of walkable environments on physical activity. Scholars attach considerable importance to leisure and health-related walking. Recent studies have used Google Street View as an instrument to assess city streets and walkable environments; however, no study has compared the validity of Google Street View assessments of walkable environment attributes to assessments made by local residents and compiled from field visits. In this study, we involved nearby residents and compared the extent to which Google Street View assessments of the walkable environment correlated with assessments from local residents and with field visits. We determined the assessment approaches (local resident or field visit assessments) that exhibited the highest agreement with Google Street View. One city with relatively high-quality walkable environments and one city with relatively low-quality walkable environments were examined, and three neighborhoods from each city were surveyed. Participants in each neighborhood used one of three approaches to assess the walkability of the environment: 15 local residents assessed the environment using a map, 15 participants made a field visit to assess the environment, and 15 participants used Google Street View to assess the environment, yielding a total of 90 valid samples for the two cities. Findings revealed that the three approaches to assessing neighborhood walkability were highly correlated for traffic safety, aesthetics, sidewalk quality, and physical barriers. Compared with assessments from participants making field visits, assessments by local residents were more highly correlated with Google Street View assessments. Google Street View provides a more convenient, low-cost, efficient, and safe approach to assess neighborhood walkability. The results of this study may facilitate future large-scale walkable environment surveys, effectively reduce expenses, and improve survey efficiency.

Using expert decision-making to establish indicators of urban friendliness for walking environments: a multidisciplinary assessment.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have suggested that friendly walking environments positively affect physical activity and health. Creating friendly walking environments in urban areas is a complex and wide-ranging topic, and no study has yet established a set of assessment indicators by drawing on the expertise of various disciplines. This study uses a multiple-criteria decision-making technique to elucidate the environmental factors that affect the friendliness of the walking environment. METHODS: We conducted a two-phase expert questionnaire survey. Experts from the government sector, as well as the academic disciplines of urban planning, transportation, architecture, and landscape design, were recruited to establish a set of walking environment indicators; the degrees of importance assigned to these indicators by the experts were subsequently compared. In phase 1, the fuzzy Delphi method was used by 20 experts, whose responses were used to identify four dimensions and 22 indicators. In phase 2, an analytical network process approach was performed by 16 experts to determine the weights of the dimensions and indicators. RESULTS: The results revealed that all of the experts ranked the four dimensions in the order of safety > facilities > aesthetics > land use mix. Of the 22 indicators, land use-diversity, land use-access, sidewalk width, sidewalk continuity, and cleanliness were considered the most important. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide a reference for the management of walking environments by promoting pedestrian-oriented environments and public health.