From “forest bathing” to the pandemic houseplant trend, people are increasingly turning to greenery for a pick-me-up. And with good reason: Study after study points to the mentally and physically rejuvenating qualities of greenspace – any outdoor area with grass, trees, shrubs or plants, such as a park or community garden.
Now, a new study from Advocate Aurora Health researchers indicates the benefits of nearby urban greenspace may go beyond improving one’s mood, potentially even helping to prevent stroke.
In the latest issue of Advocate Aurora Research Institute’s Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews (JPCRR), a study comparing the home addresses of Milwaukee County residents with and without a history of stroke determined that neighborhoods with less greenspace were linked to higher odds of stroke. In fact, reduced greenspace proved to be a good predictor of stroke regardless of a person’s social and financial status.
“We can now add stroke risk to the growing list of health issues impacted by residential greenspace,” said Richard Rovin, MD, senior author and neurosurgeon at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee. “This is important from a public health perspective, as urban greenspace should be protected and expanded.”
Dr. Rovin also coauthored a second article appearing in this issue of JPCRR, which detailed results from a study that evaluated a new and simplified stroke-screening test for use by emergency medical services. The study found that the new screening test was effective in identifying which patients suspected of having a stroke may require specialized treatment for large vessel occlusion. Quick and accurate identification is important because only a few qualified stroke centers in Milwaukee County are able to provide the specialized treatment, so transporting patients directly to those facilities is paramount for best health outcomes.
Other articles in Volume 9, Issue 2 include:
- An electrocardiography-based machine learning model for predicting major adverse heart-related events;
- Clinical characteristics, trends and risk factors observed in people with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in 2020;
- Development of a guide for patients to report sexual abuse in health care;
- Improving future vitamin D level testing by studying factors involved with screening in an urban internal medicine residency clinic;
- Association between nearness to natural waterways and Legionnaires’ disease; and
- A family physician’s reflections about the importance of human connection for healing and recovery.
Additional authors affiliated with Advocate Aurora who are featured in this issue include stroke care specialists Kessarin Panichpisal, MD, and Paul Vilar, MSN; the cardiovascular research team of Suhail Allaqaband, MD, Tanvir Bajwa, MD, Katherine Busniewski, Mohamed Hommeida, M. Fuad Jan, MBBS, MD, Fekadesilassie Moges, MD, Michael Peterson, Payal Sharma, MD, A. Jamil Tajik, MD, Blair Tilkens, DO, Sara Walczak, and Viviana Zlochiver, PhD; primary care researchers Dennis Baumgardner, MD, John Brill, MD, Daniel Mundt, MD, and Jessica Kram, MPH; and biostatisticians Kritika Garg, Jennifer Homa, Ana Perez Moreno, MD, PhD, and Maharaj Singh, PhD.
Visit aah.org/jpcrr to access the current issue or archived journal content. Follow @JPCRR on Twitter for regular publication updates and various patient-centered news.
Published by Advocate Aurora Health, the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews is a PubMed-indexed medical journal dedicated to scholarly works aimed at improving patient-centered care practices, health outcomes and patient experiences. Quarterly JPCRR circulation exceeds 30,000 readers hailing from around the world.
To learn more about Advocate Aurora’s research, visit aah.org/research.