Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40374193›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2025

Green space exposure and active transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a global analysis using Apple mobility data.

Ruoyu Wang, Selin Akaraci, Esteban Moro, Pedro C Hallal, Rodrigo Reis, Ruth Hunter

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

6 authors.

Ruoyu WangCentre for Public Health, QUB, Belfast, UK rw24347@essex.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7240-558X
Selin AkaraciUCL, London, UK.
Esteban MoroNetwork Science Institute, Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Pedro C HallalUIUC, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
Rodrigo ReisPeople Health and Place Unit, School of Public Health Health, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
Ruth HunterCentre for Public Health, QUB, Belfast, UK.

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThere is little evidence investigating the association between green space (exposure and inequality) and active transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study focused on the spatial heterogeneity in trajectories of different transportation modes during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, as well as the association between green space exposure and inequality and active transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic from a global perspective.

methodsThis study was based on an ecological study design and used three different Apple Mobility indices (driving, walking and public transit) to evaluate the trajectories of different transportation modes during the COVID-19 pandemic in 299 cities across 46 countries. Green space exposure was calculated based on fine-resolution population and green space mappings. Green space inequality was calculated by incorporating the Gini index into the green space exposure (green space Gini index). The hot/cold spot analysis was used to explore spatial heterogeneity in trajectories of different transportation modes during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, while Gaussian spatial mixed models were used to model the association between green space exposure and inequality and active transportation.

resultsThe hot/cold spot analysis shows that there were spatial inequalities in the trajectories of different transportation modes worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from Gaussian spatial mixed models showed that green space exposure was positively associated with the walking index (Coef.=46.82; SE=18.20), while green space inequality was positively associated with the walking index (Coef.=58.88; SE=26.87) and public transit index (Coef.=162.07; SE=80.16). Also, the effect of green space varied across city development levels, the stringency of policy and COVID-19 severity.

conclusionsOur findings demonstrate the importance of sufficient city-scale green spaces to support active transportation, with important implications to help cities better prepare for future pandemics and support active transportation during non-pandemic times.

Indexed as

COVID-19TransportationWalkingCitiesGlobal HealthHumansPandemicsSocioeconomic FactorsCOVID-19Global HealthPublic Health

Identifiers

PMID40374193
PMCPMC12083287

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LicenceCC BY
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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.