Associations Between Built Environment Factors and SARS-CoV-2 Infections at the Neighbourhood Level in a Metropolitan Area in Germany

• DOI: 10.1007/s11524-022-00708-5
• Publication Date: 2023-01-12T19:03:07Z
• Authors: Dennis Schmiege; Timo Haselhoff; Salman Ahmed; Olympia Evdoxia A...; Susanne Moebus
• Keywords: Neighbourhood (mathematics); Level design

COVID-19-related health outcomes displayed distinct geographical patterns within countries. The transmission of SARS-CoV-2 requires close spatial proximity people, which can be influenced by the built environment. Only few studies have analysed infections related to environment urban areas at a high resolution. This study examined association between factors and in metropolitan area Germany. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed 7866 citizens Essen March 2020 May 2021 were analysed, aggregated neighbourhood level. We performed regression analyses investigate associations cumulative number per 1000 inhabitants (cum. infections) up 31.05.2021 factors. cum. neighbourhoods (median: 11.5, IQR: 8.1-16.9) followed marked socially determined north-south gradient. effect estimates adjusted models showed negative with greenness, i.e. normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (adjusted β = - 35.36, 95% CI: 57.68; 13.04), rooms person (- 10.40, 13.79; 7.01), living space 0.51, 0.66; 0.36), residential 0.07, 0.16; 0.01) commercial 0.15, 0.25; 0.05). Residential multi-storey buildings 0.03, 0.12; 0.06) green (0.03, 0.05; 0.11) did not show substantial association. Our results suggest that matters for spread infections, such as more spacious apartments or higher levels greenness are associated lower infection rates unequal intra-urban distribution these emphasizes prevailing environmental inequalities regarding COVID-19 pandemic.