PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nazish, Ahsana
AU  - Abbas, Kiran
AU  - Sattar, Emmama
TI  - Health impact of urban green spaces: a systematic review of heat-related morbidity and mortality
AID  - 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081632
DP  - 2024 Sep 01
TA  - BMJ Open
PG  - e081632
VI  - 14
IP  - 9
4099  - http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/9/e081632.short
4100  - http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/9/e081632.full
SO  - BMJ Open2024 Sep 01; 14
AB  - Objectives The objective of this review was to scrutinise the impact of urban green spaces on heat-related morbidity and mortality.Design This systematic review was meticulously carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelinesData sources A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar including studies from January 2000 to December 2022.Eligibility criteria Studies that examined the influence of urban green spaces on heat-related morbidity and mortality, including randomised controlled trials, observational and modelling studies, were included.Data extraction and synthesis A total of 3301 publications were initially identified, out of which 12 studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis. The selected studies were predominantly from high-income and upper-middle-income nations (95%).Results The research points towards a pattern where regions abundant in green spaces report lower rates of heat-related morbidity and mortality in contrast to those with sparse greenery. Additionally, urban vegetation appears to exert a positive influence on mental health and well-being, potentially aiding in offsetting the adverse health repercussions of high temperatures.Conclusion Urban green spaces play a vital role in mitigating heat-related health risks, offering a potential strategy for urban planning to address climate change and enhance public health. Additional research is required to thoroughly comprehend the magnitude of urban greenery’s impact on heat-related morbidity and mortality, as well as its interplay with other variables, including air pollution, socioeconomic status, among others.Data are available on reasonable request.