TY - JOUR
T1 - Associations between the urban environment and psychotic experiences in adolescents
AU - Bouter, D. C.
AU - Ravensbergen, S. J.
AU - Lakerveld, J.
AU - Hoogendijk, W. J. G.
AU - Mil, N. H. Grootendorst-van
N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the Erasmus Trust Foundation/Van Oostrom Foundation. Funding Information: This study was supported by the Erasmus Trust Foundation / Van Oostrom Foundation . Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/10/1
Y1 - 2023/10/1
N2 - Objective: In 2050 two-thirds of the world's population is predicted to live in cities, which asks for a better understanding of how the urban environment affects mental health. Urbanicity has repeatedly been found to be a risk factor, in particular for psychosis. Here, we explored what factors of the urban exposome underlie the association between urban characteristics and psychotic experiences (PE) in adolescents. Methods: Participants were 815 adolescents (mean age 14.84 years, SD 0.78) from an at-risk cohort (greater Rotterdam area, the Netherlands) oversampled on their self-reported emotional and behavioral problems. We used linear regression analysis to examine the association with detailed geodata on urbanicity (surrounding address density), green space density (high and low vegetation), and mixed noise levels (road, rail, air, industry, and wind power) with PE in adolescents. Analyses were adjusted for multiple socio-economic and parental confounders. Furthermore, we explored sex-interaction effects. Results: Higher surrounding address density and low greenspace density were each independently associated with more PE (B = 0.18, 95 % CI 0.02; 0.34 and B = 0.17, 95 % CI 0.01; 0.32, respectively). High mixed noise levels were only associated with more PE in boys (B = 0.23, 95 % CI 0.01; 0.46). A sex-interaction effect was found for high urbanicity (B = −0.46, 95 % CI −0.77; −0.14) and low greenspace density (B = −0.49, 95 % CI −0.73; −0.11), illustrating that these associations with PE were specific for boys. Conclusion: Multiple characteristics of living in an urban area are associated with more PE in adolescent boys. Our observations provide leads for prevention of mental health problems via urban designing.
AB - Objective: In 2050 two-thirds of the world's population is predicted to live in cities, which asks for a better understanding of how the urban environment affects mental health. Urbanicity has repeatedly been found to be a risk factor, in particular for psychosis. Here, we explored what factors of the urban exposome underlie the association between urban characteristics and psychotic experiences (PE) in adolescents. Methods: Participants were 815 adolescents (mean age 14.84 years, SD 0.78) from an at-risk cohort (greater Rotterdam area, the Netherlands) oversampled on their self-reported emotional and behavioral problems. We used linear regression analysis to examine the association with detailed geodata on urbanicity (surrounding address density), green space density (high and low vegetation), and mixed noise levels (road, rail, air, industry, and wind power) with PE in adolescents. Analyses were adjusted for multiple socio-economic and parental confounders. Furthermore, we explored sex-interaction effects. Results: Higher surrounding address density and low greenspace density were each independently associated with more PE (B = 0.18, 95 % CI 0.02; 0.34 and B = 0.17, 95 % CI 0.01; 0.32, respectively). High mixed noise levels were only associated with more PE in boys (B = 0.23, 95 % CI 0.01; 0.46). A sex-interaction effect was found for high urbanicity (B = −0.46, 95 % CI −0.77; −0.14) and low greenspace density (B = −0.49, 95 % CI −0.73; −0.11), illustrating that these associations with PE were specific for boys. Conclusion: Multiple characteristics of living in an urban area are associated with more PE in adolescent boys. Our observations provide leads for prevention of mental health problems via urban designing.
KW - Environmental noise
KW - Greenspace
KW - High-risk
KW - Population based
KW - Urbanicity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85169044076&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2023.08.016
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2023.08.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 37639836
SN - 0920-9964
VL - 260
SP - 123
EP - 131
JO - Schizophrenia Research
JF - Schizophrenia Research
ER -