Environmental quality perceptions and health: a cross-sectional study of citizens of Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

The perception of urban environmental quality is an important contributor when identifyinglocal problems in sustainable development and environmental planning policy. This study examinedthe associations between environmental and social residential characteristics, physical activity,obesity, and hypertension in Kaunas city, Lithuania. This cross-sectional study analyzed 580 citizens’demographic-, socioeconomic-, health-, and lifestyle-related factors, environmental health concerns,and environmental quality perceptions. Using Geographic Information Systems and the multivariatelogistic regression, we found that the less physically active group more often presented lower thanmean ratings of the quality of pathways and cycling routes (32.9% and 45.6%,p=0.042) and onlyirregularly visited the natural environment. Obese participants presented poorer ratings of airpollution, the quality of pathways and cycling routes, their possibility to reach green spaces bywalking, and the available relaxing areas. The environmental issues associated with hypertensionwere poor possibilities to reach green spaces by walking (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.14–3.32) and the availabilityof relaxation areas (OR 2.30, 95% 1.34–3.95). The quality of the neighborhood and individual-levelcharacteristics were the factors that influenced a higher prevalence of health problems at the districtlevel. Our findings suggest that a public health policy to improve the physical and social environmentof the neighborhood would have a potential to increase citizens’ physical activity and health.