Introduction

The health benefits of cycling have widely been recognized, but cycling is also associated with health risks (e.g., pollution exposure, crash risk). Past studies of these competing health impacts have been limited in their treatment of social equity, rarely considering spatial variations in risk that could be highly salient for marginalized populations. This study investigates the health risks of cycling through the lens of social equity by considering variations in PM_2.5 concentrations and crash risk across space and across sociodemographic groups.

Methods

We conducted this analysis in Los Angeles County, CA, which has a relatively high bicycle fatality rate and consistent non-attainment status for traffic-related PM_2.5. We used publicly available data, including PM_2.5 concentrations, crash locations, bicycle counts, and street network data, to derive measures of pollution exposure and crash risk. We performed descriptive, visualization, and regression analyses to assess how pollution exposure and crash risk vary across census block groups and are associated with area-level sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

We found that the health risks of cycling are disproportionately high among marginalized populations (i.e. in block groups with lower income, lower educational attainment, and higher shares of racial/ethnic minority populations). Census block groups with worse outdoor air quality and higher crash risk are particularly likely to be home to low-income people of color. Even in these places, the health benefits of cycling could outweigh the risks; however, the net health benefits of cycling, accounting for these risks, are likely to be lower in marginalized communities.

Conclusions

Health impact assessments related to cycling should incorporate neighborhood-level data to better assess the distribution of benefits and risks across space and across population groups. Efforts to promote cycling should focus on making cycling safer and healthier, placing emphasis on communities where it is associated with the greatest health risks.

中文翻译：

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为谁健康？加利福尼亚州洛杉矶骑行风险空间分布的公平性

介绍

骑自行车的健康益处已得到广泛认可，但骑自行车也与健康风险（例如，污染暴露、碰撞风险）有关。过去对这些相互竞争的健康影响的研究在处理社会公平方面受到限制，很少考虑可能对边缘化人群非常显着的风险的空间变化。本研究通过考虑 PM _2.5浓度的变化以及跨空间和跨社会人口群体的碰撞风险，从社会公平的角度调查骑自行车的健康风险。

方法

我们在加利福尼亚州洛杉矶县进行了这项分析，该县的自行车死亡率相对较高，且与交通相关的 PM _2.5始终未达标。我们使用公开可用的数据，包括 PM _2.5浓度、碰撞地点、自行车数量和街道网络数据，来推导出污染暴露和碰撞风险的措施。我们进行了描述性、可视化和回归分析，以评估污染暴露和碰撞风险在人口普查区块组之间的差异以及与地区层面社会人口特征的相关性。

结果

我们发现，骑自行车的健康风险在边缘化人群（即收入较低、教育程度较低以及种族/少数民族人口比例较高的街区）中高得不成比例。室外空气质量较差和碰撞风险较高的人口普查街区群体特别有可能成为低收入有色人种的家园。即使在这些地方，骑自行车的健康益处也可能超过风险；然而，考虑到这些风险，骑自行车的净健康益处在边缘化社区中可能较低。

结论

与骑自行车相关的健康影响评估应结合社区层面的数据，以更好地评估跨空间和跨人口群体的利益和风险分布。促进骑自行车的努力应侧重于使骑自行车更安全、更健康，重点放在与最大健康风险相关的社区。