Methodological guidance for selecting buffers in greenspace-health studies

Area of Science:

• Environmental Epidemiology
• Public Health Research
• Geospatial Analysis

Background:

• Greenspace exposure is linked to diverse health benefits.
• Current methods for assessing greenspace exposure using buffers lack standardization, hindering research comparability.
• Heterogeneity in buffer selection impedes causal inference in epidemiological studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a framework for informed buffer selection in greenspace epidemiological studies.
• To guide researchers in choosing appropriate buffer types and sizes based on study specifics.
• To promote standardized and hypothesis-driven approaches for greenspace exposure assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing approaches for buffer type and size selection (fixed-location to activity-space).
• Summarization of determinants influencing buffer selection (health outcomes, mechanisms, population, context, data).
• Development of recommendations for future research based on identified determinants.

Main Results:

• Buffer selection should be hypothesis-driven, aligning with presumed greenspace-health mechanisms.
• Activity-based approaches and testing multiple buffer sizes are recommended where feasible.
• A shift towards personalized, multiscale, and context-specific greenspace exposure assessment is advocated.

Conclusions:

• Standardizing and reporting the rationale for buffer selection is essential to minimize bias.
• Informed buffer selection enhances the comparability and synthesis of evidence from greenspace research.
• The proposed framework aims to improve the rigor and reliability of epidemiological studies on greenspace and health.