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Study shows link between living in suburban areas and depression risk
A comprehensive study has mapped the connection between living environment and depression risks. Living in densely populated areas does not increase the risk for mental health issues. However, there is clear link between suburban areas with detached houses and depression.
The source material for the study, published in the reputable journal Science Advances, is extensive. Using AI technology, researchers from University of Gävle, Aarhus University, and Yale University analyzed satellite images of all the built-up areas in Denmark over a 30-year period (1987-2017). They classified the buildings into different categories based on their height and density. The three-dimensional urban form derived from the satellite images was then linked to individual-level residential addresses, health records, and socio-economic registers in Denmark.
The results show that there is no clear association between inner-city areas and depression risks.
Rural areas do not seem to increase the risk for mental disorders either. After adjusting for socio-economic factors, the researchers found that the highest risk for depression involves living in medium-density urban areas. Surprisingly, suburban residential areas with detached houses and terraced houses are associated with higher risks for depression.
Common to areas with higher risk of depression is the lack of nature—green areas like parks, forests, and water bodies—and the properties are also more spaced out than in the cities. So, when building to promote mental health, densification is not necessarily negative, as it increases opportunities for social interaction. However, proximity to open spaces with nature and water is important."
Stephan Barthel, professor of environmental science and research leader for Urban Sustainability at University of Gävle
In the study, adjustments were made for known risk factors for depression, such as having parents with a registered history of depressive disorders, being single, or unemployed. After such an analysis, the results showed that the risk of depression were 20-30 percent higher in areas with detached houses and terraced housing than in sparsely populated areas, and 10-15 percent higher in suburban areas than in inner-city areas.
"When we eliminate all factors except the living environment, it becomes clear that areas with a high prevalence of depression are more monotonous and often lack meeting places and larger green spaces. There are already many arguments for building in ways that give people easy access to green spaces and water, and now we can show that risks for mental health issues is yet another argument. Even if we cannot predict risks on an individual level, there is a significant correlation on an overall scale and over time," says Karl Samuelsson, PhD in environmental science.
The researchers hope that the study can be useful for urban planning.
"The study does not give support to further expansion of car-dependent suburban areas with low-density housing. At the same time, densification must be done in a smart way. Preferably, we should create easy access to both social life and natural green areas, including seas or waterways," Karl Samuelsson says.
注释：
detach: v
表示"使分开,使分离; "，means "separate"，如：We should detach good apples from bad. 我们必须把好的苹果与坏的分开.
terrace: v
表示"(房屋)沿斜坡建造;使成梯田"，means "make into terraces as for cultivation;provide (a house) with a terrace"，如：You may have to terrace your land or build raised beds.你可能需要把地弄成梯田状，或是垫高。terraced house. 连栋房屋
Densification: n
表示"致密化"，means "an increase in the density of something"，如：Densification of the product could be substantial. 产品的致密化（致密效果）应该很密实。
prevalence: n
表示"流行；普及"，means "the quality of prevailing generally; "，如：Thus, lists of STDs may change over time and include more or fewer diseases depending on their prevalence. 所以，性传播疾病的病名录可以随时发生改变，以及依据其流行程度会作出调整。
monotonous: adj
表示" 单调的"，means " (uninteresting because) unchanging"，如：The preacher's monotonous voice put me to sleep.传教士单调的声音催我入眠。
waterway: n
表示"水路；航道"，means "a navigable body of water"，如：We took a ship by waterway to travel. 我们乘船经水路去旅行。
中文简要说明：
大都市从早到晚嘈杂熙攘，居住空间狭隘，很多人因此向往迁居郊区图个清静，顺便换个大一点的房子，住起来也舒服，有车代步就可解决通勤问题。这计划听来很理想，却非幸福快乐百分百保证。美国与丹麦、瑞典学界合作研究发现，迁往市郊生活反而可能使人抑郁消沉，原因在于与他人互动的机会变少了，而且市郊往往也难以接触到青山绿水纾压。
英国《每日邮报》报导，美国耶鲁大学、丹麦阿尔胡斯大学（Aarhus University）、瑞典耶夫勒大学（University of Gävle）利用人造卫星影像搭配AI，绘制出丹麦全境1987年到2017年之间所有建筑密集地带的3D地图。研究人员分析7万5650名忧郁症患者与75万6500名同龄但无忧郁症者的居住地点得出结论显示，这30年期间郊区居民罹患忧郁症的风险比市区居民高出10%至15%，比乡间居民高出20%至30%。研究成果已登上国际期刊《科学先端》（Science Advances）。
郊区人口密度比市中心低、高于乡间，房屋彼此之间距离较远，或者房屋成排而建，少有楼上楼下邻居同栋居住。
耶鲁大学研究人员陈凯伦（Karen Chen，译音）说，住在郊区的人不像住在都市闹区的人一样经常造访商店、餐厅、咖啡馆等场所，花在开车远离这些场所的时间比较多。此外，乡村环境似乎也不会拉高心理疾病发生率。
研究报告也指出，附近有户外空间、楼高逾10公尺的住宅大楼，住户出现忧郁症状的机率偏低，原因可能在于住户有更多机会与他人产生社交互动。研究人员建议，建筑密集地带的住宅用地规划应优先保留住户通往户外空间的途径，以降低居民发生忧郁症的机率。
参与这项研究的瑞典耶夫勒大学环境科学博士萨缪森（Karl Samuelsson）指出，排除社经地位、家族病史、单身或失业等因素后，单纯考虑居住环境因素发现，建物型态单调、缺乏聚会场所与大面积绿地的情况下，忧郁症的发生率偏高，「此前学界已有不少人主张住宅楼房务必保留容易通往绿地与水边的路径，现在我们可以从心理健康问题风险的层面支持这个主张」。他说，这项研究并不支持居民须靠汽车代步移动的市郊地带面积持续扩大，密集居住地带的规划则需要更多智慧，要兼顾社交生活与亲近自然两大需求。
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