Effect of environmental condition on health of urban and rural residents in China

  Objective  To explore the relationship between the health status of residents and the environmental conditions and the impact of environmental conditions on the health of urban and rural residents for providing references to the construction of Healthy China.

  Methods  The data of the study were extracted from Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) conducted across China in 2013. We selected a part of urban and rural residents surveyed in CGSS and assigned them into a healthy and an unhealthy group according to their self-rated health status. Taking health level as a dependent variable, we adopted binary logistic regression analysis to assess the impact of environmental conditions (air, water, noise, domestic garbage, and industrial waste pollutions and green space), physical exercise, and demographic factors on the health of the residents. An interactive item of physical exercise plus green space was introduced into a regression model in the analyses to evaluate modification effect of physical exercise on the correlation between green space and health level of the residents.

  Results  Of the 4 265 residents included in the study, 2 609 (61.2%) and 1 656 (38.8%) were from urban and rural regions. Univariate analysis showed that the health level of the urban residents was significantly higher than that of rural residents. The results of logistic regression analysis demonstrated that after adjusting for confounders, water pollution (odds ratio OR = 1.469, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.085 – 1.991) and industrial waste pollution (OR = 0.658, 95% CI: 0.438 – 0.990) were significant impact factors for health of the residents in rural regions; while, green space (OR = 1.313, 95% CI: 1.075 – 1.604) was a significant impact factor for health of the residents in urban regions and physical exercise played a modification role on the correlation between green space and residents′ health (OR = 1.607, 95% CI: 1.110 – 2.326).

  Conclusion  Insufficient green space in urban regions and serious water pollution in rural regions have significant impact on residents′ health level and rural residents are lack of awareness on industrial waste. Environmental condition needs to be concerned by relevant agencies for promoting health of the residents.