Beneficial Use Impairments, Degradation of Aesthetics, and Human Health: A Review
Abstract
In environmental programs and blue/green space development, improving aesthetics is a common goal. There is broad interest in understanding the relationship between ecologically sound environments that people find aesthetically pleasing and human health. However, to date, few studies have adequately assessed this relationship, and no summaries or reviews of this line of research exist. Therefore, we undertook a systematic literature review to determine the state of science and identify critical needs to advance the field. Keywords identified from both aesthetics and loss of habitat literature were searched in PubMed and Web of Science databases. After full text screening, 19 studies were included in the review. Most of these studies examined some measure of greenspace/bluespace, primarily proximity. Only one study investigated the impacts of making space quality changes on a health metric. The studies identified for this review continue to support links between green space and various metrics of health, with additional evidence for blue space benefits on health. No studies to date adequately address questions surrounding the beneficial use impairment degradation of aesthetics and how improving either environmental quality (remediation) or ecological health (restoration) efforts have impacted the health of those communities.
- Authors:
-
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Student Services Contractor at US EPA
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Duluth, MN (United States)
- Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1904912
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0014664
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 19; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 1660-4601
- Publisher:
- MDPI
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; beneficial use impairments; Great Lakes; green/bluespace; aesthetic degradation
Citation Formats
Slawsky, Erik D., Hoffman, Joel C., Cowan, Kristen N., and Rappazzo, Kristen M. Beneficial Use Impairments, Degradation of Aesthetics, and Human Health: A Review. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.3390/ijerph19106090.
Slawsky, Erik D., Hoffman, Joel C., Cowan, Kristen N., & Rappazzo, Kristen M. Beneficial Use Impairments, Degradation of Aesthetics, and Human Health: A Review. United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106090
Slawsky, Erik D., Hoffman, Joel C., Cowan, Kristen N., and Rappazzo, Kristen M. Sun .
"Beneficial Use Impairments, Degradation of Aesthetics, and Human Health: A Review". United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106090. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1904912.
@article{osti_1904912,
title = {Beneficial Use Impairments, Degradation of Aesthetics, and Human Health: A Review},
author = {Slawsky, Erik D. and Hoffman, Joel C. and Cowan, Kristen N. and Rappazzo, Kristen M.},
abstractNote = {In environmental programs and blue/green space development, improving aesthetics is a common goal. There is broad interest in understanding the relationship between ecologically sound environments that people find aesthetically pleasing and human health. However, to date, few studies have adequately assessed this relationship, and no summaries or reviews of this line of research exist. Therefore, we undertook a systematic literature review to determine the state of science and identify critical needs to advance the field. Keywords identified from both aesthetics and loss of habitat literature were searched in PubMed and Web of Science databases. After full text screening, 19 studies were included in the review. Most of these studies examined some measure of greenspace/bluespace, primarily proximity. Only one study investigated the impacts of making space quality changes on a health metric. The studies identified for this review continue to support links between green space and various metrics of health, with additional evidence for blue space benefits on health. No studies to date adequately address questions surrounding the beneficial use impairment degradation of aesthetics and how improving either environmental quality (remediation) or ecological health (restoration) efforts have impacted the health of those communities.},
doi = {10.3390/ijerph19106090},
journal = {International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health},
number = 10,
volume = 19,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022},
month = {Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022}
}
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