Pellizzari Jenna, Shariati Farnaz Hesam, Kaczynski Andrew T
Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
J Prev Med Public Health. 2025 Mar;58(2):208-217. doi: 10.3961/jpmph.24.325. Epub 2024 Dec 13.
Limited access to high-quality green spaces could contribute to growing rates of chronic diseases and unhealthy behaviors. Public parks provide numerous benefits for population well-being. However, past research has shown mixed results regarding the association between proximal parks and residents' physical and mental health. This study examined the relationship between diverse elements of park access and quality and multiple health outcomes.
Seventy-three unique parks within 70 census tracts in 4 cities in South Carolina were analyzed. Data about 7 aspects of park quality (transportation access, facility availability, facility quality, amenity availability, park aesthetics, park quality concerns, neighborhood quality concerns) were collected via on-site observations using the Community Park Audit Tool. Health data for each tract (obesity, no leisure time physical activity, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, poor mental health) were collected from the CDC PLACES dataset. Linear regression analyses examined the association between 10 park access and quality metrics and 8 health metrics, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics.
All associations were in the unexpected direction except 1 relationship involving mental health. Specifically, positive associations were found between the number of parks and obesity, the number of parks and no leisure time physical activity, transportation access and obesity, and transportation access and high blood pressure. As concerns about neighborhood quality increased, poor mental health status worsened.
This study provides valuable information for public health professionals and researchers. Further research is needed to expand on and elucidate these findings.
获得高质量绿地的机会有限可能导致慢性病发病率上升和不健康行为。城市公园对民众福祉有诸多益处。然而，过去的研究表明，附近公园与居民身心健康之间的关联结果不一。本研究考察了公园可达性和质量的不同要素与多种健康结果之间的关系。
对南卡罗来纳州4个城市70个人口普查区的73个独特公园进行了分析。使用社区公园审计工具通过现场观察收集了有关公园质量7个方面的数据（交通可达性、设施可用性、设施质量、便利设施可用性、公园美观度、公园质量问题、邻里质量问题）。从疾病控制与预防中心的PLACES数据集中收集了每个普查区的健康数据（肥胖、无休闲时间身体活动、高血压、冠心病、高胆固醇、糖尿病、抑郁症、心理健康不佳）。线性回归分析考察了10个公园可达性和质量指标与8个健康指标之间的关联，并对社会人口学特征进行了控制。
除了1项涉及心理健康的关系外，所有关联都与预期方向相反。具体而言，发现公园数量与肥胖、公园数量与无休闲时间身体活动、交通可达性与肥胖以及交通可达性与高血压之间存在正相关。随着对邻里质量的担忧增加，心理健康状况恶化。
本研究为公共卫生专业人员和研究人员提供了有价值的信息。需要进一步研究来扩展和阐明这些发现。
