LAUSR

Abstract This study analysed the associations between urban environmental features and population disease specific visits to health centers in Medan city, Indonesia. This is an ecological study using secondary aggregated data in 2016 at the level of local community health centers in Medan. We included three transport features, and five land use features as the independent factors for the number of visits for mental disorders, hypertension, diabetes type 2, and all cause mortality. We used generalized estimating equation (GEE) with Poisson distribution for the analyses. The model revealed that density of open spaces (green, blue, public) was negatively associated with the visits for hypertension (RR: 0.89, 95 % CI:0.79, 0.99) and diabetes type 2 (RR:0.86, 95 % CI:0.76, 0.97). Increased density of residential area, and places of worship also reduced the number of visits for mixed anxiety and depressive disorders (MADD) (RR: 0.43, 95 % CI:0.22, 0.86; RR: 0.54, 95 % CI: 0.29, 0.99). However, increased density of educational institutes increased the total visits for mental disorders (RR:1.43, 95 % CI:1.14, 1.80) and MADD (RR:2.01, 95 % CI:1.33, 3.04). Urban land use was more significant in influencing the number of visits to health centers, indicating the importance of early incorporation of health in sustainable urban planning in Medan.