Land use influences human mental and respiratory health in a conservation priority area in southeastern Brazil

Human activities generate negative environmental impacts that can compromise ecological processes and ecosystem services and thus, influence human health. We assessed how natural and altered areas affect human respiratory and mental health in one of the largest mining provinces in the world, the Quadrilatero Ferrifero (QF), in southeastern Brazil. We used a model selection approach to evaluate socioeconomic and environmental factors that would influence hospitalization rates for mental and behavioral disorders, as well as for respiratory diseases in 22 municipalities in QF. Municipalities with higher rates of urbanization had higher rates of hospitalizations for mental and behavioral disorders. Conversely, the adult population (15-59 years old) of both gender and the elderly female population (60 years old or more) presented lower rates of hospitalization for respiratory diseases in municipalities with a higher rate of urbanization, suggesting a greater ease of access to prophylactic measures of the population located in these municipalities compared to those with a lower rate of urbanization. Municipalities with larger urban forest areas had lower rates of hospitalization for respiratory diseases in the young (0-14 years) female population, while municipalities with larger mining areas had higher rates. The elderly male population (60 years or older) also had higher rates of hospitalization for respiratory diseases in municipalities with larger mining areas. Our findings show important ecosystem services provided by urban forests and highlight impacts on health, in different segments of the population, due to anthropogenic changes in the landscape. HighlightsO_LIWe present a multiscale method to determine factors that influence human health. C_LIO_LIDemographic groups are differently influenced by socio-environmental variables. C_LIO_LIUrbanization rate is associated with worse mental health of human population. C_LIO_LIForest in urban areas is associated with better respiratory health for children. C_LIO_LIMining is associated with worse respiratory health for children and elderly. C_LI Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=116 SRC="FIGDIR/small/508330v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (58K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6e330eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@da0669org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1daf8c2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1019e05_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG