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Reliable positioning services are extremely important for users in mountainous environments. However, in such environments, the service reliability of conventional wireless positioning technologies is often disappointing due to frequent non-line-of-sight (NLoS) propagation and poor geometry of available anchor nodes. Hence, we propose a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled positioning system that utilizes UAV’s mobility to overcome the above challenges. In this article, we first analyze and model the major causes of service failures in the proposed system. In particular, a geometry-based NLoS probability model is established based on the digital elevation models (DEMs) of realistic terrain for reliability analysis. Subsequently, we propose a reliability-prediction method and derive the corresponding metric to evaluate the system’s ability to provide reliable positioning services. Moreover, we also develop a voting-based method for the further enhancement of service reliability. Monte Carlo simulations show that in mountainous environments, the proposed reliability-prediction method could achieve a prediction accuracy that is at least 36.8 $\%$ higher than that of the existing technique. In addition, in the experiments conducted in two typical valley scenarios, the proposed reliability-enhancement method improves the service reliability of the proposed system by 23 $\%$ and 29 $\%$ , respectively. These numerical results demonstrate the strong potential of the proposed system and methods for reliable positioning.
Zijie Wang; Rongke Liu; Qirui Liu; Lincong Han; John S. Thompson; Yun Lin; Weiqing Mu. Toward Reliable UAV-Enabled Positioning in Mountainous Environments: System Design and Preliminary Results. IEEE Transactions on Reliability 2021, PP, 1 -29.
AMA StyleZijie Wang, Rongke Liu, Qirui Liu, Lincong Han, John S. Thompson, Yun Lin, Weiqing Mu. Toward Reliable UAV-Enabled Positioning in Mountainous Environments: System Design and Preliminary Results. IEEE Transactions on Reliability. 2021; PP (99):1-29.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZijie Wang; Rongke Liu; Qirui Liu; Lincong Han; John S. Thompson; Yun Lin; Weiqing Mu. 2021. "Toward Reliable UAV-Enabled Positioning in Mountainous Environments: System Design and Preliminary Results." IEEE Transactions on Reliability PP, no. 99: 1-29.
As the cost and technical difficulty of jamming devices continue to decrease, jamming has become one of the major threats to positioning service. Unfortunately, most conventional wireless positioning technologies are vulnerable to jamming attacks due to inherent shortcomings like weak signal strength and unfavorable anchor geometry. Thanks to their high operational flexibility, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be a promising solution to the above challenges. Therefore, in this article, we propose a UAV-assisted anti-jamming positioning system, in which multiple UAVs first utilize time-difference-of-arrival (TDoA) measurements from ground reference stations and double-response two-way ranging (DR-TWR) measurements from UAV-to-UAV links to perform self-localization as well as clock synchronization, and then act as anchor nodes to provide TDoA positioning service for ground users in the presence of jamming. To evaluate the feasibility and performance of the proposed system, we first derive the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) of UAV self-localization. Then, the impacts of UAV position uncertainty and synchronization errors caused by jamming on positioning service are modeled, and the theoretical root-mean-square error (RMSE) of user position estimate is further derived. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed system is a promising alternative to existing positioning systems when their services are disrupted by jamming. The most notable advantage of the proposed system is that it is fully compatible with existing user equipment terminals and positioning methods.
Zijie Wang; Rongke Liu; Qirui Liu; Lincong Han; John S. Thompson. Feasibility Study of UAV-Assisted Anti-Jamming Positioning. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology 2021, 70, 7718 -7733.
AMA StyleZijie Wang, Rongke Liu, Qirui Liu, Lincong Han, John S. Thompson. Feasibility Study of UAV-Assisted Anti-Jamming Positioning. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology. 2021; 70 (8):7718-7733.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZijie Wang; Rongke Liu; Qirui Liu; Lincong Han; John S. Thompson. 2021. "Feasibility Study of UAV-Assisted Anti-Jamming Positioning." IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology 70, no. 8: 7718-7733.
The study investigated if rurality, area deprivation, access to outside space (Study 1), and frequency of visiting and duration in green space (Study 2) are associated with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined if individual demographics (age, gender, COVID-19 shielding status) and illness beliefs have a direct association with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. A serial, weekly, nationally representative, cross-sectional, observational study of randomly selected adults was conducted in Scotland during June and July 2020. If available, validated instruments were used to measure psychological distress, individual demographics, illness beliefs, and the following characteristics: Rurality, area deprivation, access to residential outside space, frequency of visiting, and duration in green space. Simple linear regressions followed by examination of moderation effect were conducted. There were 2969 participants in Study 1, of which 1765 (59.6%) were female, 349 (11.9%) were in the shielding category, and the median age was 54 years. There were 502 participants in Study 2, of which 295 (58.60%) were female, 58 (11.6%) were in shielding category, and the median age was 53 years. Direct effects showed that psychological distress was worse if participants reported the following: Urban, in a deprived area, no access to or sharing residential outside space, fewer visits to green space (environment), younger, female, in the shielding category (demographics), worse illness (COVID-19) representations, and greater threat perception (illness beliefs). Moderation analyses showed that environmental factors amplified the direct effects of the individual factors on psychological distress. This study offers pointers for public health and for environmental planning, design, and management, including housing design and public open space provision and regulation.
Gill Hubbard; Chantal Daas; Marie Johnston; Peter Murchie; Catharine Thompson; Diane Dixon. Are Rurality, Area Deprivation, Access to Outside Space, and Green Space Associated with Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross Sectional Study (CHARIS-E). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 3869 .
AMA StyleGill Hubbard, Chantal Daas, Marie Johnston, Peter Murchie, Catharine Thompson, Diane Dixon. Are Rurality, Area Deprivation, Access to Outside Space, and Green Space Associated with Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross Sectional Study (CHARIS-E). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (8):3869.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGill Hubbard; Chantal Daas; Marie Johnston; Peter Murchie; Catharine Thompson; Diane Dixon. 2021. "Are Rurality, Area Deprivation, Access to Outside Space, and Green Space Associated with Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross Sectional Study (CHARIS-E)." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 8: 3869.
Urban population decline has been extensively described as a triggering factor for community segregation and fragmentation, and for land use vacancy and house/flat vacancies, resulting in rising interest in strategies of green infrastructure expansion aimed at citizens’ wellbeing and urban ecosystems. However, city-scaled green infrastructures can be formed by different typologies of outdoor spaces, providing diverse social affordances that can impact community cohesion and resilience differently. This study focuses on the relationship between preferences for particular outdoor space typologies and for community friendliness, under contexts of urban population decline as a migratory process. In the context of Lisbon, a European capital-city experiencing migration and immigration but also urban population shrinkage in some areas of its metropolitan region, the study used conjoint analysis to test participants’ preference for different attributes of their urban environment. The results showed a significant positive correlation, in the sample living in depopulating neighbourhoods, between preferences for friendlier communities and for outdoor spaces of an enclosed and protected character (r = 0.34), compared with no significant correlation in the non-depopulating neighbourhoods studied. These results do not deny the importance of public parks of wide dimensions as a strategy for shrinking cities’ green infrastructures but suggest that urban citizens living in depopulating neighbourhoods have a higher awareness of the importance of small-scale, enclosed outdoor/green spaces to give a stronger sense of social connectedness. This study contributes to the general literature on urban shrinkage by showing that these sensitive conditions can potentially change behaviour and use of public spaces in urban contexts.
M. Francisca Lima; Catharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall. Friendly Communities and Outdoor Spaces in Contexts of Urban Population Decline. Land 2020, 9, 439 .
AMA StyleM. Francisca Lima, Catharine Ward Thompson, Peter Aspinall. Friendly Communities and Outdoor Spaces in Contexts of Urban Population Decline. Land. 2020; 9 (11):439.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Francisca Lima; Catharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall. 2020. "Friendly Communities and Outdoor Spaces in Contexts of Urban Population Decline." Land 9, no. 11: 439.
Background Interventions need to be developed in a timely and relatively low-cost manner in order to respond to, and quickly address, major public health concerns. We aimed to quickly develop an intervention to support people with severe mental ill-health, that is systematic, well founded both in theory and evidence, without the support of significant funding or resource. In this article we aim to open and elucidate the contents of the ‘black box’ of intervention development. Methods A multidisciplinary team of seven academics and health practitioners, together with service user input, developed an intervention in 2018 by scoping the literature, face-to-face meetings, email and telephone. Researcher fieldnotes were analysed to describe how the intervention was developed in four iterative steps. Results In step 1 and 2, scoping the literature showed that, a) people with severe mental illness have high mortality risk in part due to high levels of sedentary behaviour and low levels of exercise; b) barriers to being active include mood, stress, body weight, money, lack of programmes and facilities and stigma c) ‘nature walks’ has potential as an intervention to address the problem. In Step 3, the team agreed what needed to be included in the intervention so it addressed the “five ways to mental wellbeing” i.e., help people to connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give. The intervention was mapped to key behavioural change concepts such as, personal relevance, relapse prevention, self-efficacy. In Step 4, the team worked out how best to implement the intervention. The intervention would be delivered over 12 weeks by members of the hospital team and community walk volunteers. Participants would receive a nature walks booklet and text messages. Conclusions We developed a theoretically-informed, evidence-based nature walks programme in a timely and relatively low-cost manner relevant in an era of growing mental illness and funding austerity. Further research is required to test if the intervention is effective and if this approach to intervention development works.
Gill Hubbard; Catharine Ward Thompson; Robert Locke; Dan Jenkins; Sarah-Anne Munoz; Hugo Van Woerden; Margaret Maxwell; Yaling Yang; Trish Gorely. Co-production of “nature walks for wellbeing” public health intervention for people with severe mental illness: use of theory and practical know-how. BMC Public Health 2020, 20, 1 -12.
AMA StyleGill Hubbard, Catharine Ward Thompson, Robert Locke, Dan Jenkins, Sarah-Anne Munoz, Hugo Van Woerden, Margaret Maxwell, Yaling Yang, Trish Gorely. Co-production of “nature walks for wellbeing” public health intervention for people with severe mental illness: use of theory and practical know-how. BMC Public Health. 2020; 20 (1):1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGill Hubbard; Catharine Ward Thompson; Robert Locke; Dan Jenkins; Sarah-Anne Munoz; Hugo Van Woerden; Margaret Maxwell; Yaling Yang; Trish Gorely. 2020. "Co-production of “nature walks for wellbeing” public health intervention for people with severe mental illness: use of theory and practical know-how." BMC Public Health 20, no. 1: 1-12.
This study focuses on the relative importance for resident’s wellbeing of different attributes of the living environment, namely urban typology, population density, green space type, green space quality, community and security, in the context of urban depopulation. The study used conjoint analysis, a methodology for comparing preferences, in three neighbourhoods in the Portuguese capital city. A total of 130 participants were recruited to take part in this study, based on whether their residential neighbourhood was growing in population (N = 49) or depopulating (N = 44); or whether they were searching for a new house at the moment (N = 37). The results showed that residents of depopulating neighbourhoods value the presence of a friendly community more than the other participants and were less negative about high population densities. House buyers valued environments with good quality green spaces significantly more than the other two groups. These findings suggest that a friendlier community and the quality of its green spaces are key attributes in encouraging current dwellers to remain, and in attracting new residents to move in. These two attributes are known to be relevant factors for overall citizens’ quality of life, health and wellbeing; they should, therefore, be given particular consideration in any intervention in depopulating contexts.
M. Francisca Lima; Catharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall; Simon Bell. Communities facing urban depopulation: exploring people’s environmental preferences. A case study of Lisbon, Portugal. Cities & Health 2020, 1 -21.
AMA StyleM. Francisca Lima, Catharine Ward Thompson, Peter Aspinall, Simon Bell. Communities facing urban depopulation: exploring people’s environmental preferences. A case study of Lisbon, Portugal. Cities & Health. 2020; ():1-21.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Francisca Lima; Catharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall; Simon Bell. 2020. "Communities facing urban depopulation: exploring people’s environmental preferences. A case study of Lisbon, Portugal." Cities & Health , no. : 1-21.
Worldwide, growth in the older population creates a pressing need to develop supportive environments that enhance quality of life as people age. Too often, built environments present barriers and challenges to older adults that compromise independent living and adversely affect health and life outcomes. Designing homes, buildings, and neighborhoods with older adults, through exercises in participatory or co-design, could help ensure that environments are better able to facilitate healthy aging. However, while it is potentially advantageous to involve this age group in environmental design decisions, doing so can be difficult. Analysis of and guidance on effective ways to involve older adults in these activities could make the challenge easier. With this aim in mind, this article provides critical perspectives on eight “less traditional” engagement techniques—walking interviews, photovoice, photo-elicitation, Talking Mats®, participatory mapping, drawing, model-making, and the “Design Fair”. Insights into the strengths and limitations of these techniques, gained from observation of their use in participatory design activities, as well as feedback collected from older co-design participants, are presented. The article concludes by offering a number of practical recommendations for those interested in designing age-friendly homes and neighborhoods with older people.
Katherine Brookfield; Iain Scott; Anthea Tinker; Catharine Ward Thompson. Perspectives on “Novel” Techniques for Designing Age-Friendly Homes and Neighborhoods with Older Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17, 1800 .
AMA StyleKatherine Brookfield, Iain Scott, Anthea Tinker, Catharine Ward Thompson. Perspectives on “Novel” Techniques for Designing Age-Friendly Homes and Neighborhoods with Older Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17 (5):1800.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatherine Brookfield; Iain Scott; Anthea Tinker; Catharine Ward Thompson. 2020. "Perspectives on “Novel” Techniques for Designing Age-Friendly Homes and Neighborhoods with Older Adults." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 5: 1800.
Neurourbanism looks to understand the relationship between urban environments and mental well-being and is well placed to assess the role of these environments on the urbanised and ageing global population. This study builds on research using mobile electroencephalography (EEG) to understand the impact of urban environments (busy, quiet and green urban spaces) on brain activity. Ninety-five older participants aged over 65 years undertook one of six walks in an urban neighbourhood, transitioning between two distinct environmental settings. This study explores changes in alpha (associated with relaxation) and beta (associated with attention) brain activity recorded during walking in differing urban environments. Neural activity significantly varies as participants walk between urban busy and green settings, with reduced levels of low beta activity in the green setting, suggesting attention changes consistent with Attention Restoration Theory. Levels of alpha activity significantly varied between the urban busy and the urban quiet settings, with increases in the urban busy setting. There were no significant differences in EEG activity between the urban green and urban quiet settings, suggesting that the magnitude of environmental contrast between the urban busy context and other urban settings is an important factor in understanding the effects of these spaces on brain activity.
Chris Neale; Peter Aspinall; Jenny Roe; Sara Tilley; Panagiotis Mavros; Steve Cinderby; Richard Coyne; Neil Thin; Catharine Ward Thompson. The impact of walking in different urban environments on brain activity in older people. Cities & Health 2019, 4, 94 -106.
AMA StyleChris Neale, Peter Aspinall, Jenny Roe, Sara Tilley, Panagiotis Mavros, Steve Cinderby, Richard Coyne, Neil Thin, Catharine Ward Thompson. The impact of walking in different urban environments on brain activity in older people. Cities & Health. 2019; 4 (1):94-106.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChris Neale; Peter Aspinall; Jenny Roe; Sara Tilley; Panagiotis Mavros; Steve Cinderby; Richard Coyne; Neil Thin; Catharine Ward Thompson. 2019. "The impact of walking in different urban environments on brain activity in older people." Cities & Health 4, no. 1: 94-106.
High prevalence of poor mental health is a major public health problem. Natural environments may contribute to mitigating stress and enhancing health. However, there is little evidence on whether community-level interventions intended to increase exposure to natural environments can improve mental health and related behaviours. In the first study of its kind, we evaluated whether the implementation of a programme designed to improve the quality of, and access to, local woodlands in deprived communities in Scotland, UK, was associated with lower perceived stress or other health-related outcomes, using a controlled, repeat cross-sectional design with a nested prospective cohort. Interventions included physical changes to the woodlands and community engagement activities within the woodlands, with data collected at baseline (2013) and post-intervention (2014 and 2015). The interventions were, unexpectedly, associated with increased perceived stress compared to control sites. However, we observed significantly greater increases in stress for those living >500 m from intervention sites. Visits to nearby nature (woods and other green space) increased overall, and moderate physical activity levels also increased. In the intervention communities, those who visited natural environments showed smaller increases in stress than those who did not; there was also some evidence of increased nature connectedness and social cohesion. The intervention costs were modest but there were no significant changes in quality of life on which to base cost-effectiveness. Findings suggest factors not captured in the study may have contributed to the perceived stress patterns found. Wider community engagement and longer post-intervention follow-up may be needed to achieve significant health benefits from woodland interventions such as those described here. The study points to the challenges in evidencing the effectiveness of green space and forestry interventions to enhance health in urban environments, but also to potential benefits from more integrated approaches across health and landscape planning and management practice.
Catharine Ward Thompson; Aldo Elizalde; Steven Cummins; Alastair H. Leyland; Willings Botha; Andrew Briggs; Sara Tilley; Eva Silveirinha De Oliveira; Jenny Roe; Peter Aspinall; Richard Mitchell. Enhancing Health Through Access to Nature: How Effective are Interventions in Woodlands in Deprived Urban Communities? A Quasi-experimental Study in Scotland, UK. Sustainability 2019, 11, 3317 .
AMA StyleCatharine Ward Thompson, Aldo Elizalde, Steven Cummins, Alastair H. Leyland, Willings Botha, Andrew Briggs, Sara Tilley, Eva Silveirinha De Oliveira, Jenny Roe, Peter Aspinall, Richard Mitchell. Enhancing Health Through Access to Nature: How Effective are Interventions in Woodlands in Deprived Urban Communities? A Quasi-experimental Study in Scotland, UK. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (12):3317.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCatharine Ward Thompson; Aldo Elizalde; Steven Cummins; Alastair H. Leyland; Willings Botha; Andrew Briggs; Sara Tilley; Eva Silveirinha De Oliveira; Jenny Roe; Peter Aspinall; Richard Mitchell. 2019. "Enhancing Health Through Access to Nature: How Effective are Interventions in Woodlands in Deprived Urban Communities? A Quasi-experimental Study in Scotland, UK." Sustainability 11, no. 12: 3317.
Aims and measures in landscape planning often align with aims for positive health outcomes, even if these are not explicitly mentioned in the planning documents. This chapter examines whether, and if so how, health issues are already being tackled in formal and informal landscape planning instruments in Germany and the UK at present and how this could be enhanced in the future. Thus, the focus is on planning issues, practice and methods. In addition, health-promoting features of green spaces, regarding both single green spaces and entire green space systems, are considered, as well as a method for planning greenway systems for daily physical mobility. Addressing health issues in landscape planning is a necessary part of sustainable planning in order to be able to cope with future developments, such as increasing climate change impacts and accelerating societal changes. For this reason, interdisciplinary corporation between landscape planning and the health sector should be strengthened.
Stefan Heiland; Julia Weidenweber; Catharine Ward Thompson. Linking Landscape Planning and Health. Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change 2019, 425 -448.
AMA StyleStefan Heiland, Julia Weidenweber, Catharine Ward Thompson. Linking Landscape Planning and Health. Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change. 2019; ():425-448.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStefan Heiland; Julia Weidenweber; Catharine Ward Thompson. 2019. "Linking Landscape Planning and Health." Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change , no. : 425-448.
The exposure to green space in early life may support better cognitive aging in later life. However, this exposure is usually measured using the residential location alone. This disregards the exposure to green spaces in places frequented during daily activities (i.e., the ‘activity space’). Overlooking the multiple locations visited by an individual over the course of a day is likely to result in poor estimation of the environmental exposure and therefore exacerbates the contextual uncertainty. A child’s activity space is influenced by factors including age, sex, and the parental perception of the neighborhood. This paper develops indices of park availability based on individuals’ activity spaces (home, school, and the optimal route to school). These measures are used to examine whether park availability in childhood is related to cognitive change much later in life. Multi-level linear models, including random effects for schools, were used to test the association between park availability during childhood and adolescence and cognitive aging (age 70 to 76) in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 participants (N = 281). To test for the effect modification, these models were stratified by sex and road traffic accident (RTA) density. Park availability during adolescence was associated with better cognitive aging at a concurrently low RTA density (β = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.36 to 1.60), but not when the RTA density was higher (β = 0.22, 95% CI: −0.07 to 0.51). Green space exposure during early life may be important for optimal cognitive aging; this should be evidenced using activity space-based measures within a life-course perspective.
Mark P.C. Cherrie; Niamh K. Shortt; Catharine Ward Thompson; Ian J. Deary; Jamie R. Pearce. Association Between the Activity Space Exposure to Parks in Childhood and Adolescence and Cognitive Aging in Later Life. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2019, 16, 632 .
AMA StyleMark P.C. Cherrie, Niamh K. Shortt, Catharine Ward Thompson, Ian J. Deary, Jamie R. Pearce. Association Between the Activity Space Exposure to Parks in Childhood and Adolescence and Cognitive Aging in Later Life. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16 (4):632.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMark P.C. Cherrie; Niamh K. Shortt; Catharine Ward Thompson; Ian J. Deary; Jamie R. Pearce. 2019. "Association Between the Activity Space Exposure to Parks in Childhood and Adolescence and Cognitive Aging in Later Life." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 4: 632.
BackgroundContact with natural environments can bring health benefits, but research is lacking on how changes in access to natural environments might improve health, especially for deprived populations.ObjectiveTo evaluate the health impacts of woodland environment interventions intended to increase communities’ engagement with these woodlands.DesignA prospective study of Forestry Commission Scotland’s Woods In and Around Towns (WIAT) programme in deprived communities to enhance public access to natural environments. The study investigated the impact that WIAT had on community-level mental health over time.SettingThree intervention and three control woodland sites, and associated communities within 1.5 km of the woodlands, located in central Scotland and eligible for WIAT support.ParticipantsA core community survey was administered at each site in three waves, at baseline and after each phase of intervention (n = 5460, panel A). The completed survey contained a nested longitudinal cohort (n = 609, panel B). Community members also undertook 6-monthly environmental audits at all sites (n = 256) and participated in post-intervention focus groups (n = 34).InterventionsPhase 1 involved physical changes to the woodlands, including footpaths, entrances and vegetation. Phase 2 involved community engagement events promoting woodland use.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Other health measures included health-related quality of life (HRQoL) EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), physical activity (PA) [International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)], connectedness to nature [Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale] and social cohesion.ResultsThe PSS scores significantly increased in the intervention group and marginally decreased in the control group. Multilevel regression models showed a differential impact between the intervention and the control at survey wave 3 in panel A [B(unstandardised coefficient) 3.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.85 to 4.31;p < 0.001] and in panel B [B3.03, 95% CI 1.54 to 4.52;p < 0.001]. Using the same analytical approach, no significant change in HRQoL was associated with the intervention. Economic assessment included an illustrative cost–utility analysis and a cost–consequences analysis. The differential in stress between the intervention group and the control group was lower or non-significant in those who visited ‘nature’ in the previous year [panel A,B1.9, 95% CI 0.8 to 3.0;p < 0.001; panel B,B0.64, 95% CI –1.60 to 2.88;p = 0.57]. The IPAQ score showed a positive association with the intervention for moderate levels of PA [panel B,B559.3, 95% CI 211.3 to 907.2;p = 0.002] and overall PA [panel B,B861.5, 95% CI 106.5 to 1616.4;p = 0.025]. The intervention was also associated with increased nature connectedness and social cohesion by wave 3 – significant for panel A only. Qualitative and quantitative evidence showed that interventions increased the perceived quality of the woodland environment and enhanced its enjoyment for different activities, but the increase in use of natural environments post intervention was only 6% (panel B).LimitationsThis study was limited to three intervention sites. External factors may be the primary influence on health outcomes.ConclusionsThe WIAT interventions did not improve community-level health within 6 months of completion, and hence there was no basis for demonstrating cost-effectiveness. However, the WIAT interventions are low cost (average £11.80 per person in the eligible population) and have potential for cost-effectiveness, if health benefits were found in the longer term.Future workUsing routinely collected data to consider a whole-programme evaluation is recommended.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme.
Catharine Ward Thompson; Eva Silveirinha De Oliveira; Sara Tilley; Aldo Elizalde; Willings Botha; Andrew Briggs; Steven Cummins; Alastair H Leyland; Jenny J Roe; Peter Aspinall; Katherine Brookfield; Richard Mitchell. Health impacts of environmental and social interventions designed to increase deprived communities’ access to urban woodlands: a mixed-methods study. Public Health Research 2019, 7, 1 -172.
AMA StyleCatharine Ward Thompson, Eva Silveirinha De Oliveira, Sara Tilley, Aldo Elizalde, Willings Botha, Andrew Briggs, Steven Cummins, Alastair H Leyland, Jenny J Roe, Peter Aspinall, Katherine Brookfield, Richard Mitchell. Health impacts of environmental and social interventions designed to increase deprived communities’ access to urban woodlands: a mixed-methods study. Public Health Research. 2019; 7 (2):1-172.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCatharine Ward Thompson; Eva Silveirinha De Oliveira; Sara Tilley; Aldo Elizalde; Willings Botha; Andrew Briggs; Steven Cummins; Alastair H Leyland; Jenny J Roe; Peter Aspinall; Katherine Brookfield; Richard Mitchell. 2019. "Health impacts of environmental and social interventions designed to increase deprived communities’ access to urban woodlands: a mixed-methods study." Public Health Research 7, no. 2: 1-172.
International evidence suggests that green space has beneficial effects on general and mental health but little is known about how lifetime exposure to green space influences cognitive ageing. Employing a novel longitudinal life course approach, we examined the association between lifetime availability of public parks and cognitive ageing. Lifetime residential information was gathered from the participants of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 using a "life-grid" questionnaire at age 78 years. Parks information from 1949, 1969 and 2009 was used to determine a percentage of parks within a 1500 m buffer zone surrounding residence for childhood, adulthood, and later adulthood periods. Linear regressions were undertaken to test for association with age-standardised, residualised change in cognitive function (Moray House Test score) from age 11 to 70 years, and from age 70 to 76 (n = 281). The most appropriate model was selected using the results of a partial F-test, and then stratified by demographic, genetic and socioeconomic factors. The local provision of park space in childhood and adulthood were both important in explaining the change in cognitive function in later life. The association between childhood and adulthood park availability and change in the Moray House Test Score from age 70 to 76 was strongest for women, those without an APOE e4 allele (a genetic risk factor), and those in the lowest socioeconomic groups. Greater neighbourhood provision of public parks from childhood through to adulthood may help to slow down the rate of cognitive decline in later life, recognising that such environmental associations are always sensitive to individual characteristics.
Mark P.C. Cherrie; Niamh K. Shortt; Richard J. Mitchell; Adele M. Taylor; Paul Redmond; Catharine Ward Thompson; John M. Starr; Ian J. Deary; Jamie R. Pearce. Green space and cognitive ageing: A retrospective life course analysis in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Social Science & Medicine 2018, 196, 56 -65.
AMA StyleMark P.C. Cherrie, Niamh K. Shortt, Richard J. Mitchell, Adele M. Taylor, Paul Redmond, Catharine Ward Thompson, John M. Starr, Ian J. Deary, Jamie R. Pearce. Green space and cognitive ageing: A retrospective life course analysis in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Social Science & Medicine. 2018; 196 ():56-65.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMark P.C. Cherrie; Niamh K. Shortt; Richard J. Mitchell; Adele M. Taylor; Paul Redmond; Catharine Ward Thompson; John M. Starr; Ian J. Deary; Jamie R. Pearce. 2018. "Green space and cognitive ageing: A retrospective life course analysis in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936." Social Science & Medicine 196, no. : 56-65.
Cw Thompson. Woodland improvements in deprived urban communities: how does this build resilience? European Journal of Public Health 2017, 27, 1 .
AMA StyleCw Thompson. Woodland improvements in deprived urban communities: how does this build resilience? European Journal of Public Health. 2017; 27 (suppl_3):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCw Thompson. 2017. "Woodland improvements in deprived urban communities: how does this build resilience?" European Journal of Public Health 27, no. suppl_3: 1.
This research directly assesses older people’s neural activation in response to a changing urban environment while walking, as measured by electroencephalography (EEG). The study builds on previous research that shows changes in cortical activity while moving through different urban settings. The current study extends this methodology to explore previously unstudied outcomes in older people aged 65 years or more (n = 95). Participants were recruited to walk one of six scenarios pairing urban busy (a commercial street with traffic), urban quiet (a residential street) and urban green (a public park) spaces in a counterbalanced design, wearing a mobile Emotiv EEG headset to record real-time neural responses to place. Each walk lasted around 15 min and was undertaken at the pace of the participant. We report on the outputs for these responses derived from the Emotiv Affectiv Suite software, which creates emotional parameters (‘excitement’, ‘frustration’, ‘engagement’ and ‘meditation’) with a real-time value assigned to them. The six walking scenarios were compared using a form of high dimensional correlated component regression (CCR) on difference data, capturing the change between one setting and another. The results showed that levels of ‘engagement’ were higher in the urban green space compared to those of the urban busy and urban quiet spaces, whereas levels of ‘excitement’ were higher in the urban busy environment compared with those of the urban green space and quiet urban space. In both cases, this effect is shown regardless of the order of exposure to these different environments. These results suggest that there are neural signatures associated with the experience of different urban spaces which may reflect the older age of the sample as well as the condition of the spaces themselves. The urban green space appears to have a restorative effect on this group of older adults.
Chris Neale; Peter Aspinall; Jenny Roe; Sara Tilley; Panagiotis Mavros; Steve Cinderby; Richard Coyne; Neil Thin; Gary Bennett; Catharine Ward Thompson. The Aging Urban Brain: Analyzing Outdoor Physical Activity Using the Emotiv Affectiv Suite in Older People. Journal of Heredity 2017, 94, 869 -880.
AMA StyleChris Neale, Peter Aspinall, Jenny Roe, Sara Tilley, Panagiotis Mavros, Steve Cinderby, Richard Coyne, Neil Thin, Gary Bennett, Catharine Ward Thompson. The Aging Urban Brain: Analyzing Outdoor Physical Activity Using the Emotiv Affectiv Suite in Older People. Journal of Heredity. 2017; 94 (6):869-880.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChris Neale; Peter Aspinall; Jenny Roe; Sara Tilley; Panagiotis Mavros; Steve Cinderby; Richard Coyne; Neil Thin; Gary Bennett; Catharine Ward Thompson. 2017. "The Aging Urban Brain: Analyzing Outdoor Physical Activity Using the Emotiv Affectiv Suite in Older People." Journal of Heredity 94, no. 6: 869-880.
Walking is the most common form of physical activity amongst older adults. Older adults’ walking behaviors have been linked to objective and perceived neighborhood and street-level environmental attributes, such as pavement quality and mixed land uses. To help identify components of walkable environments, this paper examines some of these environmental attributes and explores their influence on this population’s walking behaviors. It draws on focus group and interview data collected from 22 purposively sampled older adults aged 60 years and over. These participants presented a range of functional and cognitive impairments including stroke and dementia. In line with past research, we detail how various everyday aspects of urban environments, such as steps, curbs and uneven pavements, can, in combination with person-related factors, complicate older adults’ outdoor mobility while others, such as handrails and benches, seem to support and even encourage movement. Importantly, we delineate the influence of perceptions on mobility choices. We found that, in some instances, it is the meanings and possibilities that older adults derive from aspects of the environment, such as street cameras and underpasses, rather than the aspects per se, which shape behavior. The implications for policy and practice are considered.
Katherine Brookfield; Catharine Ward Thompson; Iain Scott. The Uncommon Impact of Common Environmental Details on Walking in Older Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2017, 14, 190 .
AMA StyleKatherine Brookfield, Catharine Ward Thompson, Iain Scott. The Uncommon Impact of Common Environmental Details on Walking in Older Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2017; 14 (2):190.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatherine Brookfield; Catharine Ward Thompson; Iain Scott. 2017. "The Uncommon Impact of Common Environmental Details on Walking in Older Adults." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14, no. 2: 190.
Catharine Ward Thompson. Editorial: Landscape and Health special issue. Landscape Research 2016, 41, 591 -597.
AMA StyleCatharine Ward Thompson. Editorial: Landscape and Health special issue. Landscape Research. 2016; 41 (6):591-597.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCatharine Ward Thompson. 2016. "Editorial: Landscape and Health special issue." Landscape Research 41, no. 6: 591-597.
Very little is known about how differences in use and perceptions of urban green space impact on the general health of black and minority ethnic (BME) groups. BME groups in the UK suffer from poorer health and a wide range of environmental inequalities that include poorer access to urban green space and poorer quality of green space provision. This study used a household questionnaire (n = 523) to explore the relationship between general health and a range of individual, social and physical environmental predictors in deprived white British and BME groups living in ethnically diverse cities in England. Results from Chi-Squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) segmentation analyses identified three distinct general health segments in our sample ranging from “very good” health (people of Indian origin), to ”good” health (white British), and ”poor” health (people of African-Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Pakistani origin and other BME groups), labelled ”Mixed BME” in the analyses. Correlated Component Regression analyses explored predictors of general health for each group. Common predictors of general health across all groups were age, disability, and levels of physical activity. However, social and environmental predictors of general health-including use and perceptions of urban green space-varied among the three groups. For white British people, social characteristics of place (i.e., place belonging, levels of neighbourhood trust, loneliness) ranked most highly as predictors of general health, whilst the quality of, access to and the use of urban green space was a significant predictor of general health for the poorest health group only, i.e., in ”Mixed BME”. Results are discussed from the perspective of differences in use and perceptions of urban green space amongst ethnic groups. We conclude that health and recreation policy in the UK needs to give greater attention to the provision of local green space amongst poor BME communities since this can play an important role in helping address the health inequalities experienced by these groups.
Jenny Roe; Peter A. Aspinall; Catharine Ward Thompson. Understanding Relationships between Health, Ethnicity, Place and the Role of Urban Green Space in Deprived Urban Communities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2016, 13, 681 .
AMA StyleJenny Roe, Peter A. Aspinall, Catharine Ward Thompson. Understanding Relationships between Health, Ethnicity, Place and the Role of Urban Green Space in Deprived Urban Communities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2016; 13 (7):681.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJenny Roe; Peter A. Aspinall; Catharine Ward Thompson. 2016. "Understanding Relationships between Health, Ethnicity, Place and the Role of Urban Green Space in Deprived Urban Communities." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 13, no. 7: 681.
Falls by older people (aged 65+) are linked to disability and a decrease in mobility, presenting a challenge to active ageing. As such, older fallers represent a vulnerable road user group. Despite this there is little research into the causes and prevention of outdoor falls.
Angela Curl; Catharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall; Marcus Ormerod. Developing an audit checklist to assess outdoor falls risk. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning 2016, 169, 138 -153.
AMA StyleAngela Curl, Catharine Ward Thompson, Peter Aspinall, Marcus Ormerod. Developing an audit checklist to assess outdoor falls risk. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning. 2016; 169 (3):138-153.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAngela Curl; Catharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall; Marcus Ormerod. 2016. "Developing an audit checklist to assess outdoor falls risk." Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning 169, no. 3: 138-153.
Environment-health research has shown significant relationships between the quantity of green space in deprived urban neighbourhoods and people’s stress levels. The focus of this paper is the nature of access to green space (i.e., its quantity or use) necessary before any health benefit is found. It draws on a cross-sectional survey of 406 adults in four communities of high urban deprivation in Scotland, United Kingdom. Self-reported measures of stress and general health were primary outcomes; physical activity and social wellbeing were also measured. A comprehensive, objective measure of green space quantity around each participant’s home was also used, alongside self-report measures of use of local green space. Correlated Component Regression identified the optimal predictors for primary outcome variables in the different communities surveyed. Social isolation and place belonging were the strongest predictors of stress in three out of four communities sampled, and of poor general health in the fourth, least healthy, community. The amount of green space in the neighbourhood, and in particular access to a garden or allotment, were significant predictors of stress. Physical activity, frequency of visits to green space in winter months, and views from the home were predictors of general health. The findings have implications for public health and for planning of green infrastructure, gardens and public open space in urban environments.
Catharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall; Jenny Roe; Lynette Robertson; David Miller. Mitigating Stress and Supporting Health in Deprived Urban Communities: The Importance of Green Space and the Social Environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2016, 13, 440 .
AMA StyleCatharine Ward Thompson, Peter Aspinall, Jenny Roe, Lynette Robertson, David Miller. Mitigating Stress and Supporting Health in Deprived Urban Communities: The Importance of Green Space and the Social Environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2016; 13 (4):440.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCatharine Ward Thompson; Peter Aspinall; Jenny Roe; Lynette Robertson; David Miller. 2016. "Mitigating Stress and Supporting Health in Deprived Urban Communities: The Importance of Green Space and the Social Environment." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 13, no. 4: 440.