Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38158519›Full record

ArticleCanadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique2024

Does urban greenness reduce loneliness and social isolation among Canadians? A cross-sectional study of middle-aged and older adults of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

Paul J Villeneuve, Gagan K Gill, Susanna A Cottagiri, Robert Dales, Daniel Rainham, Nancy A Ross, Habibe Dogan, Lauren E Griffith, Parminder Raina, Dan L Crouse

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In one paragraph

Article in Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 12% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Urban greenspace and dementia: Measures, mechanisms, and methodological guidance.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
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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

10 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Paul J VilleneuveDepartment of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Paul.Villeneuve@carleton.ca.ORCID 0000-0001-7786-7997
Gagan K GillDepartment of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Susanna A CottagiriDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Robert DalesPopulation Studies Division, Environmental Health Science & Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Daniel RainhamFaculty of Health, School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Nancy A RossDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Habibe DoganDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Lauren E GriffithDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Parminder RainaDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Dan L CrouseHealth Effects Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Queen's University · CACarleton University · CAImpact · CADalhousie University · CAHealth Canada · CAHealth Effects Institute · US

Funding

CIHR
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesUrban greenness has been shown to confer many health benefits including reduced risks of chronic disease, depression, anxiety, and, in a limited number of studies, loneliness. In this first Canadian study on this topic, we investigated associations between residential surrounding greenness and loneliness and social isolation among older adults.

methodsThis cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging included 26,811 urban participants between 45 and 86 years of age. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a measure of greenness, was assigned to participants' residential addresses using a buffer distance of 500 m. We evaluated associations between the NDVI and (i) self-reported loneliness using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, (ii) whether participants reported "feeling lonely living in the local area", and (iii) social isolation. Logistic regression models were used to characterize associations between greenness and loneliness/social isolation while adjusting for individual socio-economic and health behaviours.

resultsOverall, 10.8% of participants perceived being lonely, while 6.5% reported "feeling lonely in their local area". Furthermore, 16.2% of participants were characterized as being socially isolated. In adjusted models, we observed no statistically significant difference (odds ratio (OR) = 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.04) in self-reported loneliness in relation to an interquartile range (IQR) increase of NDVI (0.06). However, for the same change in greenness, there was a 15% (OR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.72-0.99) reduced risk for participants who strongly agreed with "feeling lonely living in the local area". For social isolation, for an IQR increase in the NDVI, we observed a 7% (OR = 0.93; 95% CI 0.88-0.97) reduction in prevalence.

conclusionOur findings suggest that urban greenness plays a role in reducing loneliness and social isolation among Canadian urbanites.

Indexed as

LonelinessNorth American PeopleSocial IsolationAgedAged, 80 and overAgingCanadaCross-Sectional StudiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesMiddle AgedCLSAGreennessLonelinessUrban health

Identifiers

PMID38158519
PMCPMC11006650
OpenAlexW4390394794

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.