Urban greenness and hypertension among Ghanaian adults

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a lack of studies in sub-Saharan African countries, specifically Ghana, demonstrating the relationship between greenness and hypertension. We use Greenness (Enhanced Vegetation Index, EVI) data to examine its association on hypertension among Ghanaian adults in urban areas. Participants with higher exposure to greenness was significantly associated with lower odds of hypertension OR: 0.63 (95% CI:0.41–0.95) than participants with low levels of greenness exposure. Our findings recommend a positive attitudinal change toward the preservation of green spaces as well as the allocation and prioritization of green spaces by policymakers in areas rapidly undergoing urbanization.