Land-Use Change and Health Risks in the Process of Urbanization: A Spatiotemporal Interpretation of a Typical Case in Changzhou, China

Dongyang Yang, Chao Ye and Jianhua Xu
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Dongyang Yang: Key Research Institute of Yellow River Civilization and Sustainable Development & Collaborative Innovation Center on Yellow River Civilization, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
Chao Ye: School of Geographic Sciences & Institute of Eco-Chongming, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Jianhua Xu: School of Geographic Sciences & Institute of Eco-Chongming, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: China has undergone rapid urban expansion in recent decades. At the same time, environmental pollution and its risk to public health have increased. However, the relationship between urban land-use changes and health is ambiguous and insufficiently understood. Based on a typical city-scale case—namely, Changzhou, China—this research aimed to interpret the evolution of health risks alongside land-use change during the process of urbanization. We gathered data from multiple sources, including population mortality data, socioeconomic data, remote-sensing images, data for the points of interest of enterprises, and relevant information on environmental health events and cancers. The results showed that Changzhou’s urbanization was typical insofar as it was characterized by massive growth in industry, a rapid increase in the urban population, and urban land expansion. Health risks related to environmental pollution increased considerably with urban land expansion over time, and they increased with proximity to the pollution. The results from a generalized linear model confirmed that Changzhou’s urbanization triggered increasing health risks. Our study interpreted the relationship between urban land expansion and health risks from a spatiotemporal perspective. It can be used as a reference for urban planning and policymaking with regard to urban environmental health.

Keywords: land use change; urbanization; environmental pollution; health risks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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