International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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13 pages, 5542 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Economic Value of Health Benefits Associated with Urban Park Investment

by Jeffrey Wilson and Xiao Xiao

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 4815; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064815 - 9 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3455

Abstract

The allocation of resources towards the development and enhancement of urban parks offers an effective strategy for promoting and improving the health and well-being of urban populations. Investments in urban parks can result in a multitude of health benefits. The increased usage of [...] Read more.

The allocation of resources towards the development and enhancement of urban parks offers an effective strategy for promoting and improving the health and well-being of urban populations. Investments in urban parks can result in a multitude of health benefits. The increased usage of greenspace by park users has been linked to positive physical and mental health outcomes. Additionally, the expansion of greenspace in urban areas can mitigate harmful impacts from air pollutants, heat, noise, and climate-related health risks. While the health benefits attributed to urban parks and greenspaces are well documented, few studies have measured the economic value of these benefits. This study applied a novel ecohealth economic valuation framework to quantify and estimate the potential economic value of health benefits attributed to the development of a proposed park in the downtown core of Peterborough, Canada. The results indicated that development of the small urban park will result in annual benefits of CAD 133,000 per year, including CAD 109,877 in the avoided economic burden of physical inactivity, CAD 23,084 in health savings associated with improved mental health, and CAD 127 in health savings attributed to better air quality. When including the economic value of higher life satisfaction, the economic benefit is more than CAD 4 million per year. The study demonstrates the value of developing and enhancing urban parks as a strategy to improve population health and well-being, and as a means of cost savings to the medical system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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17 pages, 4564 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An SCM-G2SFCA Model for Studying Spatial Accessibility of Urban Parks

by Zexu Zhou, Xuedong Zhang, Mengwei Li and Xuedi Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010714 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1847

Abstract

The urban park is the main leisure and entertainment place in residents’ daily lives. The accessibility of parks is closely related to the physical and mental health of the residents. Although many scholars have conducted a great deal of research on the spatial [...] Read more.

The urban park is the main leisure and entertainment place in residents’ daily lives. The accessibility of parks is closely related to the physical and mental health of the residents. Although many scholars have conducted a great deal of research on the spatial accessibility of urban parks, they have rarely considered the supply competition among different parks and the impact of multiple travel modes on the spatial accessibility of parks. Therefore, based on Baidu map navigation data, in this paper, the park Baidu score is used to represent the competitive relationship among different parks, and the impact of multiple travel modes on the spatial accessibility of parks is considered. A supply competition and multiple travel modes Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (SCM-G2SFCA) model is established to evaluate the spatial accessibility of the parks in the Wuhou District, Chengdu, China. The results show that (1) compared with traditional methods, the SCM-G2SFCA model can obtain more accurate results using Baidu map navigation data. (2) There are obvious spatial differences in the accessibility distribution of the parks in the Wuhou District, Chengdu, with high accessibility in the south and low accessibility in the north. The Jinyang and Huaxing sub-districts in the southern suburbs have the highest park accessibility and can obtain more adequate park services. The Fangcaojie and Cujin sub-districts in the northern urban areas have the lowest park accessibility and are relatively lacking in park services. The research results of this study have important reference value for the rational planning of urban parks and the improvement of the spatial accessibility of urban parks in the Wuhou District of Chengdu and similar urban areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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15 pages, 3364 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Resident Satisfaction of Urban Green Spaces through the Lens of Landsenses Ecology

by Sinan He, Dingkai Chen, Xiaoqi Shang, Linwei Han and Longyu Shi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15242; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215242 - 18 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2061

Abstract

Residents’ satisfaction of urban green space has been widely detected in living environments around the world. Most previous reports were performed with objective indicators to reflect the characteristics of vegetation and landscapes of residential green space. However, subjective senses as impact factors in [...] Read more.

Residents’ satisfaction of urban green space has been widely detected in living environments around the world. Most previous reports were performed with objective indicators to reflect the characteristics of vegetation and landscapes of residential green space. However, subjective senses as impact factors in the evaluation of residents’ satisfaction based on landsenses ecology are scarce. To address this, in this study, physical perception, aesthetic cognition, and psychological cognition as latent variables in a structural equation model were investigated to determine the residents’ satisfaction in Xiamen, in southeast China, a famously high green space coverage region. The results indicate that physical perception is the fundamental condition to improve residents’ satisfaction, while aesthetic cognition and psychological cognition are the direct factors that influenced residents’ satisfaction. Residents exhibit a preference for the residential green space which contains more biodiversity and landscape diversity, a higher biomass, and greater openness. In addition, the residents’ perception significantly related to greenspace characteristics. The results provide a scientific basis for urban green space planning and optimization of ecological resources’ allocation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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25 pages, 2288 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Do the Young Perceive Urban Parks? A Study on Young Adults’ Landscape Preferences and Health Benefits in Urban Parks Based on the Landscape Perception Model

by Daixin Dai, Mingyang Bo and Youmei Zhou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14736; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214736 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2961

Abstract

(1) Background: Youth’s physical and mental health is of increasing concern today. However, gaining a more comprehensive knowledge of young people’s landscape preferences for urban parks is challenging. Additionally, young adults’ voices (aged from 20 to 24) are often neglected. (2) Methods: This [...] Read more.

(1) Background: Youth’s physical and mental health is of increasing concern today. However, gaining a more comprehensive knowledge of young people’s landscape preferences for urban parks is challenging. Additionally, young adults’ voices (aged from 20 to 24) are often neglected. (2) Methods: This study collected 349 interview questionnaires from 2014 to 2020 and recorded them into Nvivo10. Firstly, the study did a thematic analysis using the preliminary coding framework based on the landscape perception model to code the interview data and statistics on the frequencies of each theme and code. Then, we used diffractive analysis to interpret original materials to comprehend the underlying significance. (3) Results: Our research showed that young adults’ landscape perceptions are richer in diversity and express more subjective feelings. Their landscape preferences are also related to behavioral activities in addition to environmental features, which have some differences from teenagers. (4) Conclusions: It is helpful to attract more young adults by creating sound and smell landscapes, accommodating more dynamic sports and recreation facilities, and controlling unhygienic and noise problems, which can offer better design, planning, and management for creating inclusive urban parks. The landscape perception model developed in this paper can also provide a reference for related studies in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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17 pages, 4295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sociodemographic Variations in the Availability of Urban Green Spaces in an Older Swedish Population

by Kristoffer Mattisson, Anna Axmon, Gunilla Carlsson, Agneta Malmgren Fänge, Connie Lethin and Emilie Stroh

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12651; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912651 - 3 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1385

Abstract

Urban green spaces (UGS) can have a positive impact on health and thereby potentially ease the strain on the health care system. However, the availability and benefits seem to vary between different sociodemographic groups. The aim of this study was to investigate associations [...] Read more.

Urban green spaces (UGS) can have a positive impact on health and thereby potentially ease the strain on the health care system. However, the availability and benefits seem to vary between different sociodemographic groups. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between sociodemographic factors and availability to UGS among people aged 65 years or older. Data on sociodemographic variables and residential coordinates were obtained for three cross-sectional cohorts in two cities (Malmö and Kristianstad) and three years (2010, 2015, and 2019). Three measures of urban green spaces; total (UGS), public (PGS) and quiet (QGS), within 300 m were used to determine availability. The results indicated higher availability to both total and publicly available urban green spaces for groups with lower socioeconomic status (SES) is positive from a health perspective. However, availability to high qualitative publicly available urban green spaces, from a noise perspective, was lower, indicating the opposite. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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14 pages, 2229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Human Flow Dataset Reveals Changes in Citizens’ Outing Behaviors including Greenspace Visits before and during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kanazawa, Japan

by Yusuke Ueno, Sadahisa Kato, Tomoka Mase, Yoji Funamoto and Keiichi Hasegawa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8728; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148728 - 18 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1773

Abstract

Greenspaces, including parks, provide various socio-ecological benefits such as for aesthetics, temperature remediation, biodiversity conservation, and outdoor recreation. The health benefits of urban greenspaces have received particular attention since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has triggered various movement restrictions and lifestyle [...] Read more.

Greenspaces, including parks, provide various socio-ecological benefits such as for aesthetics, temperature remediation, biodiversity conservation, and outdoor recreation. The health benefits of urban greenspaces have received particular attention since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has triggered various movement restrictions and lifestyle changes, including regarding the frequency of people’s visits to greenspaces. Using mobile-tracking GPS data of Kanazawa citizens, we explored how citizens’ behaviors with respect to outings changed before and during Japan’s declaration of a COVID-19 state of emergency (April–May 2020). We also examined citizens’ greenspace visits in relation to their travel distance from home. We found that Kanazawa citizens avoided going out during the pandemic, with a decrease in the number, time, and distance of outings. As for the means of transportation, the percentage of outings by foot increased on both weekdays and holidays. While citizens refrained from going out, the percentage change of the percentage in large greenspace visits increased very slightly in 2020. As for greenspace visitation in 2020 compared to 2019, we found that citizens generally visited greenspaces closer to their homes, actually increasing visitation of nearby (within 1000 m) greenspaces. This study of how outing behaviors and greenspace use by Kanazawa citizens have changed underscores the value of nearby greenspaces for physical and mental health during movement restrictions under the pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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13 pages, 1696 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Socioeconomic Disparities in Hypertension by Levels of Green Space Availability: A Cross-Sectional Study in Philadelphia, PA

by Celina Koh, Michelle C. Kondo, Heather Rollins and Usama Bilal

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2037; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042037 - 11 Feb 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2838

Abstract

Green spaces have been proposed as equigenic factors, potentially mitigating health disparities. We used data from the 3887 participants residing in Philadelphia who participated in the Public Health Management Corporation’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey in 2014–2015 to assess whether socioeconomic disparities in [...] Read more.

Green spaces have been proposed as equigenic factors, potentially mitigating health disparities. We used data from the 3887 participants residing in Philadelphia who participated in the Public Health Management Corporation’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey in 2014–2015 to assess whether socioeconomic disparities in hypertension are modified by availability of neighborhood-level green spaces. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured using individual-level education and neighborhood-level median household income. Green space availability was measured using surrounding percent tree canopy cover, mean normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and proximity to nearest park. Using logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, and race/ethnicity, we found that adults with higher educational attainment had significantly lower levels of hypertension (OR = 0.63, 0.57, and 0.36 for high school, some college, and college graduates, respectively, as compared to those with less than high school education), and this pattern was similar for median household income (higher prevalence in lower income areas). We found no significant interaction between education and percent tree canopy cover (p = 0.83), meaning that educational disparities in hypertension were similar across all levels of green space availability. These results held when using mean NDVI or distance to nearest park as availability measures, or when considering neighborhood-level median household income as the socioeconomic measure, although the specific patterns and significance of interactions varied by exposure and modifier. While socioeconomic disparities in hypertension are strong for adults residing in Philadelphia, green spaces did not seem to modify them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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Review

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20 pages, 2942 KiB

Open AccessReview

Connectedness among Urban Parks from the Users’ Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review

by Jun Li, Melasutra Md. Dali and Nikmatul Adha Nordin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3652; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043652 - 18 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2618

Abstract

Although many benefits of urban green space networks have been consistently demonstrated, most of the discussion on space connectivity has concentrated on ecological aspects, such as patch–corridor–matrix connectivity. There are limited systematic studies that have investigated the connectedness between urban parks and people. [...] Read more.

Although many benefits of urban green space networks have been consistently demonstrated, most of the discussion on space connectivity has concentrated on ecological aspects, such as patch–corridor–matrix connectivity. There are limited systematic studies that have investigated the connectedness between urban parks and people. This study aimed to explore the connectedness among urban parks from the users’ perspective by using a systematic literature review. By following the PRISMA protocol and analyzing 54 studies from Scopus and Web of Science between 2017 and 2022, we proposed the concepts of physical connectedness and perceived connectedness. The “physical connectedness” contained the dimensions of road attributes and park attributes, as well as six categories including physical accessibility, street connectivity, the street environment, spatial scale, facilities and amenities, and natural elements. The “perceived connectedness” mainly referred to people’s perception of the physical environment. The four categories were perceived accessibility, perceived safety, aesthetics, and Kaplan’s perceptual model. Finally, in terms of individual attributes, the impact of sociodemographic factors (age, gender, income, education, and occupation) and the motivation for activity on park connectedness were also taken into account. On the basis of our findings, this study suggested that park connectedness should not only focus on physical connectedness but also perceived connectedness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Urban Green Spaces)

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