Unequal pathways
Mobility, socioeconomic status, and the stratification of concurrent environmental exposures
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7472408 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Xiaoyong Gao (0000-0001-7581-4250, Chinese University of Hong Kong), Mei-Po Kwan (0000-0001-8602-9258, Chinese University of Hong Kong, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 172 |
| Pages | 106835 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cities (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0264-2751 • E-ISSN: 1873-6084 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.cities.2026.106835 |
| OpenAlex | W7128293880 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 44 |
Urban residents are simultaneously exposed to a complex mix of environmental factors, including risks like air pollution and noise, and benefits like green spaces. Previous research often neglects the dynamics of human mobility and co-exposures, relying on static, residence-based assessments. This study investigates how daily mobility shapes simultaneous exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), noise, and green space, and how these relationships are stratified by socioeconomic status (SES). Using high-resolution GPS and mobile sensing data from 800 participants in Hong Kong, we analyzed the complex interactions among mobility, SES, and composite environmental exposures. Our findings reveal mobility is a double-edged sword: while increasing noise exposure, it can reduce PM2.5 and enhance green space exposure. Crucially, these consequences are not uniform, creating systematically differentiated environmental experiences among social groups. This supports the theory of “asymmetrical between-individual dispersion,” where exposures are not random but follow predictable, socially stratified patterns. For instance, long-distance mobility improves environmental quality for high-income and unemployed individuals but is associated with poorer outcomes for middle-income commuters and students from the same affluent neighborhoods. These results highlight the inadequacy of traditional approaches, demonstrating that neither focusing solely on residential environments nor simply promoting mobility can solve environmental inequity. Instead, effective policies must address the unique mobility constraints of different social groups. Our study provides critical insights for developing more targeted and equitable urban planning and public health interventions.
Social stratification · Socioeconomic development · Socioeconomic status · Stratification (seeds · Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration · Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging · Urban Transport and Accessibility
Toward dynamic urban environmental exposure assessments in mental health research
Role of physical activity in the relationship between urban green space and health
Human mobility and socioeconomic status
Returners and explorers dichotomy in human mobility
Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise exposure
A Practitioner’s Guide to Cluster-Robust Inference
Examining the relationship between active transport and exposure to streetscape diversity during travel
Investigating the neighborhood effect averaging problem (Neap) in greenspace exposure
Green commutes
Day-to-day intrapersonal variability in mobility patterns and association with perceived stress
The Neighborhood Effect Averaging Problem (Neap)
Current methods for evaluating people's exposure to green space
Youth Perception of Public Spaces in the City
Nonstationary relationships among individuals’ concurrent exposures to noise, air pollution and greenspace
Gendered mobility and activity pattern
You are where you go
The Uncertain Geographic Context Problem
Suburban Pink Collar Ghettos
How do Spatiotemporally Patterned Everyday Activities Explain Variations in People’s Mental Health
Does activity context and its temporality matter in the stress-relieving effect of greenspace? Evidence based on individual mobile sensing
How mobility-based exposure measures may mitigate the underestimation of the association between green space exposures and health
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |