Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36084675›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental research2022

The association between urban greenspace and psychological health among young adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Hiwot Y Zewdie, Kathryn Whetten, Misganaw E Dubie, Berhanu Kenea, Tolesa Bekele, Chimdi Temesgen, Wesene Molla, Eve S Puffer, Jan Ostermann, Amy M Hobbie and 1 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental research, 2022. 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
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 17% 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, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Impact of Urban Green on Population Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review.Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine · 2025
    Article
  3. Urban green spaces and mental health: Findings from Uganda.Hygiene and environmental health advances · 2025
    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

11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Hiwot Y ZewdieDuke Global Health Institute, Duke University, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, USA. Electronic address: hzewdie@uw.edu.
Kathryn WhettenDuke Global Health Institute, Duke University, USA.
Misganaw E DubieStand For Vulnerable Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Berhanu KeneaStand For Vulnerable Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tolesa BekeleStand For Vulnerable Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Chimdi TemesgenStand For Vulnerable Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Wesene MollaStand For Vulnerable Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Eve S PufferDuke Global Health Institute, Duke University, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, USA.
Jan OstermannDuke Global Health Institute, Duke University, USA; University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
Amy M HobbieDuke Global Health Institute, Duke University, USA.
Christine L GrayDuke Global Health Institute, Duke University, USA.
Duke University · USSociety for Neuroscience · USUniversity of South Carolina · US

Funding

Biostatistics, Epidemiologic & Bioinformatic Training in Environmental HealthT32ES015459 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI June T. Spector · 2009 to 2026
$10.6M
HIV/AIDS and Orphan CareR01HD046345 · NICHD · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI WHETTEN, KATHRYN · 2005 to 2014
$5.2M
Positive Outcomes for Orphans (POFO): HIV Risk as Young AdultsR01HD090984 · NICHD · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI OSTERMANN, JAN, WHETTEN, KATHRYN · 2017 to 2022
$2.8M
Built Environment, Pedestrian Injuries and Deep Learning (BEPIDL) StudyK01TW011782 · FIC · DREXEL UNIVERSITY · PI QUISTBERG, DUANE ALEXANDER · 2020 to 2024
$773k
Air pollution and health disparities in liver disease and cancerK01DK125612 · NIDDK · FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER · PI VOPHAM, TRANG · 2020 to 2024
$746k
The Automatic Context Measurement Tool: bringing environmental data to non-specialistsR00LM012868 · NLM · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI MOONEY, STEPHEN JOHN · 2019 to 2021
$687k
FIC NIH HHS K01 TW011782NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD046345NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD090984NIDDK NIH HHS K01 DK125612NIEHS NIH HHS T32 ES015459NLM NIH HHS R00 LM012868
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPsychological disorders are emerging as health priorities in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Ethiopia. Urban greenspace - parks, trees, and other vegetation integrated into urban form - may facilitate population psychological health, but is largely understudied outside high-income countries. We explore greenspace in relation to psychological health among young adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

methodGreenspace exposure was calculated using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from publicly available satellite imagery (2018-2019). We used tests of spatial clustering to characterize greenspace distribution. Derived NDVI values were linked to Positive Outcomes for Orphans study participants to explore cross-sectional associations between greenspace exposure and psychological health (measured 2019-2021). Two continuous scores of psychological health were examined: total difficulties from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and depressive symptoms from the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Multilevel generalized linear regression, nested by administrative units, was used to estimate the association between greenspace and psychological health. We also explored effect modification by gender and having income.

resultsWe found greenspace is spatially clustered in Addis Ababa, with high greenspace density in the northeast region and low greenspace density in the center of the city. Our findings suggest residing in greener areas is associated with fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties (β = -1.89; 95% CI: -3.50, -0.29), but not significantly associated with depressive symptomology (β = -0.61; 95% CI: -2.33, 1.11). We observed stronger associations between greenspace and total difficulties among those reporting any income and among males, and for the association between greenspace and depression symptomology among males.

conclusionWe offer initial exploration into the role of greenspace in psychological well-being in Addis Ababa, with potential implications for urban communities across Sub-Saharan Africa. Further research should continue to explore how the built and natural environment could be leveraged in similar settings to promote population psychological health.

Indexed as

Mental HealthParks, RecreationalCross-Sectional StudiesEthiopiaHumansIncomeMaleYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID36084675
PMCPMC10038305
OpenAlexW4294770745

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.