We found evidence that having more greenspace near the residence supported mental health through several indirect pathways with serial components. Conversely, bluespace was not clearly associated with mental health.

No abstract

No abstract

Growing amounts of evidence support an association between self-reported greenspace near the home and lower noise annoyance; however, objectively defined greenspace has rarely been considered. In the present study, we tested the association between objective measures of greenspace and noise annoyance, with a focus on underpinning pathways through noise level and perceived greenspace. We sampled 720 students aged 18 to 35 years from the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Objective greenspace was defined by several Geographic Information System (GIS)-derived metrics: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), tree cover density, percentage of green space in circular buffers of 100, 300 and 500 m, and the Euclidean distance to the nearest structured green space. Perceived greenspace was defined by the mean of responses to five items asking about its quantity, accessibility, visibility, usage, and quality. We assessed noise annoyance due to transportation and other neighborhood noise sources and daytime noise level (Lday) at the residence. Tests of the parallel mediation models showed that higher NDVI and percentage of green space in all buffers were associated with lower noise annoyance, whereas for higher tree cover this association was observed only in the 100 m buffer zone. In addition, the effects of NDVI and percentage of green space were mediated by higher perceived greenspace and lower Lday. In the case of tree cover, only perceived greenspace was a mediator. Our findings suggest that the potential for greenspace to reduce noise annoyance extends beyond noise abatement. Applying a combination of GIS-derived and perceptual measures should enable researchers to better tap individuals’ experience of residential greenspace and noise.

Citation: Dzhambov AM, Tokmakova MP, Gatseva PD, Zdravkov NG, Gencheva DG, Ivanova NG, Karastanev KI, Vladeva SV, Donchev AT, Dermendzhiev SM. Community noise exposure and its eff ect on blood pressure and renal function in patients with hypertension and cardiovascular disease.Folia Medica 2017;59(3): 344-356. doi: 10.1515/folmed-2017-0045 Background: Road traffi c noise (RTN) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension; however, few studies have looked into its association with blood pressure (BP) and renal function in patients with prior CVD. Aim: This study aimed to explore the eff ect of residential RTN exposure on BP and renal function in patients with CVD from Plovdiv Province. Materials and methods:We included 217 patients with ischemic heart disease and/or hypertension from three tertiary hospitals in the city of Plovdiv (March -May 2016). Patients' medical history, medical documentation, and medication regimen were reviewed, and blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were taken. Blood samples were analyzed for creatinine, total cholesterol, and blood glucose. Participants also fi lled a questionnaire. Glomerular fi ltration rate was estimated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. All participants were asked about their annoyance by diff erent noise sources at home, and those living in the city of Plovdiv (n = 132) were assigned noise map L den and L night exposure. The eff ects of noise exposure on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and estimated glomerular fi ltration rate (eGFR) were explored using mixed linear models. Results: Traffi c noise annoyance was associated with higher SBP in the total sample. The other noise indicators were associated with non-signifi cant elevation in SBP and reduction in eGFR. The eff ect of L den was more pronounced in patients with prior ischemic heart disease/stroke, diabetes, obesity, not taking Ca-channel blockers, and using solid fuel/gas at home. L night had stronger eff ect among those not taking statins, sleeping in a bedroom with noisy façade, having a living room with quiet façade, and spending more time at home. The increase in L den was associated with a signifi cant decrease in eGFR among men, patients with ischemic heart disease/stroke, and those exposed to lower air pollution. Regarding L night , there was signifi cant eff ect modifi cation by gender, diabetes, obesity, and time spent at home. In some subgroups, the eff ect of RTN was statistically signifi cant. Conclusions: Given that generic risk factors for poor progression of cardiovascular diseases cannot be controlled suffi ciently at individual level, environmental interventions to reduce residential noise exposure might result in some improvement in the management of blood pressure and kidney function in patients with CVD.

Regular consumption of fish and legumes, rarely drinking coffee, and milk consumption during the intervals between food intake are conditions for optimization of iron status during pregnancy.

No abstract

No abstract