Environmental Quality Perceptions and Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Citizens of Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

The perception of urban environmental quality is an important contributor when identifying local problems in sustainable development and environmental planning policy. This study examined the associations between environmental and social residential characteristics, physical activity, obesity, and hypertension in Kaunas city, Lithuania. This cross-sectional study analyzed 580 citizens' demographic-, socioeconomic-, health-, and lifestyle-related factors, environmental health concerns, and environmental quality perceptions. Using Geographic Information Systems and the multivariate logistic regression, we found that the less physically active group more often presented lower than mean ratings of the quality of pathways and cycling routes (32.9% and 45.6%, p = 0.042) and only irregularly visited the natural environment. Obese participants presented poorer ratings of air pollution, the quality of pathways and cycling routes, their possibility to reach green spaces by walking, and the available relaxing areas. The environmental issues associated with hypertension were poor possibilities to reach green spaces by walking (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.14-3.32) and the availability of relaxation areas (OR 2.30, 95% 1.34-3.95). The quality of the neighborhood and individual-level characteristics were the factors that influenced a higher prevalence of health problems at the district level. Our findings suggest that a public health policy to improve the physical and social environment of the neighborhood would have a potential to increase citizens' physical activity and health.

Keywords: citizen science; environmental health; hypertension; neighborhood perceptions; physical activity.

Figure 1

Spatial distribution of the perception of air pollution and the prevalence of hypertension.