The built environment and cancer survivorship: A scoping review

Naiyu Chen; Carol Mita; Ilkania M Chowdhury-Paulino; Alaina H Shreves; Cindy R Hu; Li Yi; Peter James

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103206

The built environment and cancer survivorship: A scoping review

Health Place. 2024 Mar:86:103206. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103206. Epub 2024 Feb 21.

Authors

Naiyu Chen¹, Carol Mita², Ilkania M Chowdhury-Paulino³, Alaina H Shreves⁴, Cindy R Hu⁵, Li Yi⁶, Peter James⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: naiyuchen@g.harvard.edu.
² Countway Library, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
⁵ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
⁶ Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, USA.
⁷ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, USA.

PMID: 38387361
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103206

Abstract

Background: There are more than 32 million cancer survivors worldwide. The built environment is one of the contextual factors that may influence cancer survivorship. However, studies investigating the interdisciplinary field of the built environment and cancer survivorship are lacking.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the existing literature regarding the relationship between the built environment and cancer survivorship, identify any knowledge gaps, and recommend future research directions.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed by searching OVID Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science Core Collection.

Results: Of 4235 unique records identified, 26 studies met eligibility criteria. Neighborhood walkability and greenness were the most examined built environment characteristics among the included studies. Walkability was found to be associated with various cancer survivorship experience, including increased levels of physical activity, lowered body mass index, and improved quality of life. The association between greenness and cancer survivorship outcomes were inconsistent across the included studies. Additionally, studies have reported the relationship between light and noise pollution and sleep among cancer survivors. Regarding blue space, in one qualitative study, breast cancer survivors brought up the healing properties of water.

Conclusion: Our scoping review demonstrated a breadth of current cancer survivorship research in the field of neighborhood walkability and greenness, but fewer studies detailing other aspects of the built environment as defined by this review, such as light pollution, noise pollution, and blue space. We identified future research directions for those interested in this interdisciplinary field, which can provide insights for urban planners and policy makers on how to best leverage the built environment to promote the health and wellbeing of cancer survivors.

Keywords: Blue space; Built environment; Cancer survivors; Cancer survivorship; Greenness; Light pollution; Noise pollution; Walkability.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Breast Neoplasms*
Built Environment
Cancer Survivors*
Environment Design
Female
Humans
Noise
Quality of Life
Residence Characteristics