Is Having Urban Green Space in the Neighborhood Enough to Make a Difference? Insights for Healthier City Design
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1. Impact of UGS on Mental Health
2.2. Quality and Accessibility of UGS
2.3. Brazilian Context
3. Materials and Methods
3.1. Study Area
3.2. Experimental Design
3.3. Survey Sections
3.4. Data Collection
3.5. Data Analysis
3.6. Ethical Considerations
4. Results
5. Discussion
5.1. Insights for the Design of Healthy Cities
5.2. Limitations and Future Directions
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Nature Engagement | UGS | Mental Well-Being | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Intensity | Duration | Frequency | Suitability | Depression | Anxiety | Stress | |
Intensity | 1.000 | 0.504 | 0.408 | 0.112 | −0.261 | −0.120 | −0.176 |
Duration | 0.504 | 1.000 | 0.405 | 0.096 | −0.221 | −0.157 | −0.176 |
Frequency | 0.408 | 0.405 | 1.000 | 0.164 | −0.211 | −0.155 | −0.185 |
Depression | −0.261 | −0.221 | −0.211 | −0.107 | 1.000 | 0.542 | 0.628 |
Suitability | 0.112 | 0.096 | 0.164 | 1.000 | −0.107 | −0.067 | −0.084 |
Anxiety | −0.120 | −0.157 | −0.155 | −0.067 | 0.542 | 1.000 | 0.643 |
Stress | −0.176 | −0.176 | −0.185 | −0.084 | 0.628 | 0.643 | 1.000 |
Depression | Anxiety | Stress | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
coef. | p | CI 95% | coef. | p | CI 95% | coef. | p | CI 95% | ||||
inf | sup | inf | sup | inf | sup | |||||||
Intensity | −0.627 | 0.000 | −0.801 | −0.453 | −0.319 | 0.001 | −0.508 | −0.131 | −0.278 | 0.005 | −0.471 | −0.085 |
Duration | −0.098 | 0.002 | −0.160 | −0.037 | −0.094 | 0.006 | −0.161 | −0.027 | −0.123 | 0.001 | −0.193 | −0.052 |
Frequency | −0.212 | 0.001 | −0.339 | −0.085 | −0.238 | 0.001 | −0.376 | −0.100 | −0.213 | 0.003 | −0.355 | −0.071 |
Suitability | −0.258 | 0.010 | −0.456 | −0.061 | −0.368 | 0.001 | −0.582 | −0.154 | −0.166 | 0.500 | −0.649 | 0.317 |
Gender | −0.067 | 0.680 | −0.383 | 0.250 | −0.627 | 0.000 | −0.970 | −0.284 | −0.643 | 0.000 | −0.987 | −0.300 |
Age | −1.024 | 0.000 | −1.418 | −0.630 | −1.352 | 0.000 | −1.779 | −0.925 | −1.355 | 0.000 | −1.783 | −0.928 |
Income | 0.721 | 0.006 | 0.209 | 1.233 | −0.721 | 0.006 | −1.233 | −0.209 | −0.734 | 0.005 | −1.246 | −0.223 |
Education | −0.487 | 0.763 | −3.647 | 2.673 | −0.487 | 0.763 | −3.647 | 2.673 | −0.617 | 0.702 | −3.775 | 2.542 |
Significance (p-Value) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Depression | Anxiety | Stress | |
Intensity | 2.0 × 10−3 | 1.45 × 10−14 | 7.54 × 10−17 |
Frequency | 1.0 × 10−2 | 9.60 × 10−2 | 1.92 × 10−1 |
Suitability | 5.0 × 10−3 | 1.93 × 10−1 | 1.41 × 10−1 |
Intensity × Frequency | 2.4 × 10−2 | 6.67 × 10−1 | 8.54 × 10−1 |
Intensity × Suitability | 6.8 × 10−2 | 9.36 × 10−2 | 3.94 × 10−1 |
Frequency × Suitability | 3.0 × 10−2 | 9.11 × 10−1 | 8.63 × 10−1 |
Intensity × Frequency × Suitability | 8.5 × 10−1 | 1.00 × 100 | 9.99 × 10−1 |
Study Findings | Insights for Designing Healthy Cities | |
---|---|---|
Intensity of nature engagement | High-intensity activities in green spaces are associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. | Design green spaces that encourage high-intensity activities, such as running and cycling trails, outdoor exercise areas, and sports facilities, to effectively improve residents’ mental health. |
Duration and frequency of nature engagement | Longer and more frequent interactions with nature are correlated with better mental health outcomes. | Create green spaces that are inviting for prolonged and frequent visits, with infrastructure supporting long stays, such as benches, picnic areas, and shaded spots, to enhance the duration and frequency of use, promoting greater mental well-being. |
UGS suitability for visitation and activities | The quality of green spaces, including their suitability for recreational and physical activities, is crucial for maximizing mental health benefits. | Invest in improving green space infrastructure, ensuring they are well-maintained, safe, and suitable for a variety of recreational activities. This includes well-kept trails, safe play areas, and diverse natural elements such as flower gardens and wooded areas. |
Accessibility to high-quality UGSs | Accessibility to high-quality green spaces is significantly associated with reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. | Plan for the equitable distribution of high-quality green spaces across all city areas, especially in low-income and densely populated neighborhoods, to ensure all residents have equal access to the mental health benefits provided by these spaces. |
Interactions moderated by quality of UGSs | The quality of green spaces moderates the positive effects of nature activities on mental health. | Incorporate high-quality elements in UGSs, such as rich biodiversity, presence of water, and leisure facilities, to amplify the benefits of physical and recreational activities in these spaces, leading to more significant improvements in residents’ mental health. |
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Bressane, A.; Ferreira, M.E.G.; Garcia, A.J.d.S.; Medeiros, L.C.d.C. Is Having Urban Green Space in the Neighborhood Enough to Make a Difference? Insights for Healthier City Design. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070937
Bressane A, Ferreira MEG, Garcia AJdS, Medeiros LCdC. Is Having Urban Green Space in the Neighborhood Enough to Make a Difference? Insights for Healthier City Design. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(7):937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070937
Chicago/Turabian StyleBressane, Adriano, Maria Eduarda Guedes Ferreira, Ana Júlia da Silva Garcia, and Líliam César de Castro Medeiros. 2024. "Is Having Urban Green Space in the Neighborhood Enough to Make a Difference? Insights for Healthier City Design" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 7: 937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070937
APA StyleBressane, A., Ferreira, M. E. G., Garcia, A. J. d. S., & Medeiros, L. C. d. C. (2024). Is Having Urban Green Space in the Neighborhood Enough to Make a Difference? Insights for Healthier City Design. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(7), 937. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070937