A longitudinal investigation on the impacts of the urban built environment (greenness, noise and walkability) on depression, anxiety, and positive mental health of CLSA participants

Project Summary

Features of urban natural and built environments (green spaces and walkable and quiet neighborhoods) have the potential to improve mental health outcomes. Among Canadians, the prevalence of depression, and anxiety has been increasing, and these trends have been further exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. At present, there are many research gaps on the impacts of urban built environments on mental health. These include a lack of longitudinal studies that assess causality, research on vulnerable populations (elderly and those with pre-existing conditions), and assessment of effect modifiers (sex, income, and age). Few studies have assessed these associations during the pandemic, where proximal features of the built environment may exert a greater influence on mental health. This project aims to longitudinally investigate how changes in features of the urban built environment (greenness, walkability, and noise) impact mental health during both pre-pandemic and pandemic time periods.