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Review
. 2023 Apr 27;20(9):5666.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20095666.

Diversity of Studies on Neighborhood Greenspace and Brain Health by Racialized/Ethnic Group and Geographic Region: A Rapid Review

Lilah M Besser  1 , Marcia Pescador Jimenez  2 , Cameron J Reimer  3 , Oanh L Meyer  4 , Diana Mitsova  5 , Kristen M George  6 , Paris B Adkins-Jackson  7 , James E Galvin  1
Affiliations
Review

Diversity of Studies on Neighborhood Greenspace and Brain Health by Racialized/Ethnic Group and Geographic Region: A Rapid Review

Lilah M Besser et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Studies examining associations between greenspace and Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) outcomes are rapidly on the rise, yet no known literature reviews have summarized the racialized/ethnic group and geographic variation of those published studies. This is a significant gap given the known disparities in both greenspace access and ADRD risk between racialized/ethnic groups and between developed versus developing countries. In this rapid literature review, we (1) describe the diversity of published greenspace-brain health studies with respect to racialized/ethnic groups and geographic regions; (2) determine the extent to which published studies have investigated racialized/ethnic group differences in associations; and (3) review methodological issues surrounding studies of racialized/ethnic group disparities in greenspace and brain health associations. Of the 57 papers meeting our inclusion criteria as of 4 March 2022, 21% (n = 12) explicitly identified and included individuals who were Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and/or Asian. Twenty-one percent of studies (n = 12) were conducted in developing countries (e.g., China, Dominican Republic, Mexico), and 7% (n = 4) examined racialized/ethnic group differences in greenspace-brain health associations. None of the studies were framed by health disparities, social/structural determinants of health, or related frameworks, despite the known differences in both greenspace availability/quality and dementia risk by racialized/ethnic group and geography. Studies are needed in developing countries and that directly investigate racialized/ethnic group disparities in greenspace-brain health associations to target and promote health equity.

Keywords: Alzheimer; brain health; cognition; greenspace; health disparities; race.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual framework for greenspace and brain health associations and effect modification by the racialized/ethnic group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sample size flow diagram for rapid literature review.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Studies in the rapid literature review by (A) participants’ age group, (B) geographic region, (C) participants’ racialized/ethnic group, (D) green exposure studied, (E) brain health outcome studied, and (F) associations examined (not mutually exclusive categories).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Studies in the rapid literature review by (A) participants’ age group, (B) geographic region, (C) participants’ racialized/ethnic group, (D) green exposure studied, (E) brain health outcome studied, and (F) associations examined (not mutually exclusive categories).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Observed associations among reviewed studies between greenspace and ADRD brain health outcomes (not mutually exclusive categories).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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