Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33500323›Full record

SynthesisJournal of epidemiology and community health2021

Green spaces, subjective health and depressed affect in middle-aged and older adults: a cross-country comparison of four European cohorts.

J Mark Noordzij, Marielle A Beenackers, Joost Oude Groeniger, Erik Timmermans, Basile Chaix, Dany Doiron, Martijn Huisman, Irina Motoc, Milagros Ruiz, Rita Wissa and 2 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of epidemiology and community health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. The Association of Exposure to Urban Greenspace and Depression in Women.Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 9 institutions in 5 countries.

J Mark NoordzijPublic Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands m.noordzij@mulierinstituut.nl.ORCID 0000-0001-8580-1365
Marielle A BeenackersPublic Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Joost Oude GroenigerPublic Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0691-1679
Erik TimmermansDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam UMC - Locatie VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-3414-7196
Basile ChaixINSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France.
Dany DoironMaelstrom Research, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Martijn HuismanDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam UMC - Locatie VUMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Irina MotocDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam UMC - VUMC location, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0046-7837
Milagros RuizResearch Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7492-9873
Rita WissaMaelstrom Research, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Mauricio AvendanoDepartment of Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London School of Social Science and Public Policy, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-7295-2911
Frank J van LenthePublic Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Erasmus MC · NLAmsterdam University Medical Centers · NLAmsterdam Neuroscience · NLHarvard University · USInserm · FRMcGill University · CAMcGill University Health Centre · CAUniversity College London · GBUtrecht University · NL

Funding

Health disparities and agingin societies in transitionR01AG023522 · NIA · UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON · PI MARMOT, MICHAEL G · 2004 to 2008
$2.2M
NIA NIH HHS R01 AG023522Wellcome Trust 064947Wellcome Trust 081081
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStudies on associations between urban green space and mental health have yielded mixed results. This study examines associations of green space exposures with subjective health and depressed affect of middle-aged and older adults in four European cohorts.

methodsData came from four Western-European and Central-European ageing cohorts harmonised as part of the Mindmap project, comprising 16 189 adults with an average age of 50-71 years. Green space exposure was based on the distance to the nearest green space and the amount of green space within 800 m buffers around residential addresses. Cohort-specific and one-step individual participant data (IPD) meta-analyses were used to examine associations of green space exposures with subjective health and depressed affect.

resultsThe amount of green spaces within 800 m buffers was lowest for Residential Environment and CORonary heart Disease (Paris, 15.0 hectares) and highest for Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, 35.9 hectares). IPD analyses indicated no evidence of an association between the distance to the nearest green space and depressed affect (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.00) or good self-rated health (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.02). Likewise, the amount of green space within 800 m buffers did not predict depressed affect (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.00) or good self-rated health (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.02). Findings were consistent across all cohorts.

conclusionsData from four European ageing cohorts provide no support for the hypothesis that green space exposure is associated with subjective health or depressed affect. While longitudinal evidence is required, these findings suggest that green space may be less important for older urban residents.

Indexed as

Diagnostic Self EvaluationParks, RecreationalAgedCohort StudiesEnvironmentHumansMental HealthMiddle Agedageingdepressiongeographymental healthself-rated health

Identifiers

PMID33500323
PMCPMC8053337
OpenAlexW3125679526

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.