Title | A correlational analysis of COVID-19 incidence and mortality and urban determinants of vitamin D status across the London boroughs |
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Type | Journal article |
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Authors | Borna, M., Woloshynowych, M., Schiano-Phan, R., Volpi, E. and Usman, M. |
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Abstract | One of the biggest challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic is the heterogeneity in disease severity exhibited amongst patients. Among multiple factors, latest studies suggest vitamin D deficiency and pre-existing health conditions to be major contributors to death from COVID-19. It is known that certain urban form attributes can impact sun exposure and vitamin D synthesis. Also, long-term exposure to air pollution can play an independent role in vitamin D deficiency. We conducted a correlational analysis of urban form and air quality in relation to the demographics and COVID-19 incidence and mortality across 32 London boroughs between March 2020 and January 2021. We found total population, number of residents of Asian ethnicity, 4-year average PM10 levels and road length to be positively correlated with COVID-19 cases and deaths. We also found percentage of households with access to total open space to be negatively correlated with COVID-19 deaths. Our findings link COVID-19 incidence and mortality across London with environmental variables linked to vitamin D status. Our study is entirely based on publicly available data and provides a reference framework for further research as more data are gathered and the syndemic dimension of COVID-19 becomes increasingly relevant in connection to health inequalities within large urban areas. |
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Keywords | Air Pollutants - analysis |
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| COVID-19 - epidemiology |
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| Air Pollution - adverse effects - analysis |
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| Vitamin D - analysis |
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| Vitamins - analysis |
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| Humans |
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| London - epidemiology |
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| Pandemics |
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| Incidence |
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| Vitamin D Deficiency - epidemiology |
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Article number | 11741 |
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Journal | Scientific Reports |
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Journal citation | 12 (1) |
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ISSN | 2045-2322 |
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Year | 2022 |
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Publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
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Publisher's version | License CC BY 4.0 File Access Level Open (open metadata and files) |
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Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15664-y |
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PubMed ID | 35817805 |
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Web address (URL) | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15664-y |
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Publication dates | Jul 2022 |
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Published online | 11 Jul 2022 |
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Published | Jul 2022 |
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