Holistic model-based monitoring of the human health status in an urban environment system: pilot study in Verona city, Italy

A pilot study in Verona, Italy, reveals significant correlations between urban environmental factors and human health outcomes. Researchers found that hospitalization rates for cancerous diseases were four times lower in the municipal population compared to a regional reference group, with similar trends observed for cardiocirculatory and respiratory pathologies linked to air pollution and landscape ecological quality. The study employed a holistic model integrating landscape ecology, environmental quality indexes, and health indicators, utilizing GIS technology to analyze spatial data. Fisher exact test confirmed non-independence between cardiocirculatory diseases, air pollution, and landscape ecological quality, suggesting that urban environment systems can effectively represent the complexity of human health dynamics.

Tarocco, S., Amoruso, I., & Caravello, G. (2011). Holistic model-based monitoring of the human health status in an urban environment system: pilot study in Verona city, Italy. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Vol 52, No 2 (2011). https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/JPMH2011.52.2.253