Changes in perceptions of urban green space are related to changes in psychological well-being: Cross-sectional and longitudinal study of mid-aged urban residents

Effects of greenness in university campuses on test anxiety among Chinese university students during COVID-19 lockdowns: a correlational and mediation analysis

The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlations of greenness exposure with test anxiety among university students during COVID-19 lockdowns and to explore their mechanisms. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 2609 university students in Anhui and Shandong provinces, China. We assessed perceived campus greenness using a five-point Likert scale for quality, visibility, abundance, usage, and accessibility. Objective greenness was estimated via average normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) in 1,000-, 1,500-, and 2,000-m radius zones around each of the campuses. A generalised linear mixed model examined the associations between greenness and test anxiety and to evaluate the mediation effects of physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and air pollution. Results showed that higher NDVI1500-m correlated with lower test anxiety (OR = 0.871; 95% CI: 0.851, 0.891), physical activity may partially mediate this association. Increased campus greenness may alleviate test anxiety among Chinese university students.

Assessing the Impact of Urban Environments on Mental Health and Perception Using Deep Learning: A Review and Text Mining Analysis

Understanding how outdoor environments affect mental health outcomes is vital in today's fast-paced and urbanized society. Recently, advancements in data-gathering technologies and deep learning have facilitated the study of the relationship between the outdoor environment and human perception. In a systematic review, we investigate how deep learning techniques can shed light on a better understanding of the influence of outdoor environments on human perceptions and emotions, with an emphasis on mental health outcomes. We have systematically reviewed 40 articles published in SCOPUS and the Web of Science databases which were the published papers between 2016 and 2023. The study presents and utilizes a novel topic modeling method to identify coherent keywords. By extracting the top words of each research topic, and identifying the current topics, we indicate that current studies are classified into three areas. The first topic was "Urban Perception and Environmental Factors" where the studies aimed to evaluate perceptions and mental health outcomes. Within this topic, the studies were divided based on human emotions, mood, stress, and urban features impacts. The second topic was titled "Data Analysis and Urban Imagery in Modeling" which focused on refining deep learning techniques, data collection methods, and participants' variability to understand human perceptions more accurately. The last topic was named "Greenery and visual exposure in urban spaces" which focused on the impact of the amount and the exposure of green features on mental health and perceptions. Upon reviewing the papers, this study provides a guide for subsequent research to enhance the view of using deep learning techniques to understand how urban environments influence mental health. It also provides various suggestions that should be taken into account when planning outdoor spaces.

Changes in neighborhood physical and social environments matter for change in mental health: Longitudinal evidence from Dutch panel data

Numerous neighborhood environments have been recognized to affect mental health, but only a few longitudinal studies investigated these associations jointly and whether different population groups are affected differently. We used three-wave panel data of 2699 adults between 2010 and 2016 in the Netherlands to assess the associations between changes in neighborhood physical and social environments and mental health changes. Further, we assessed possible effect modification of gender and income. Mental health was measured using the Mental Health Inventory. Time-varying exposure to green space, blue space, population density, air pollution, socioeconomic deprivation, and social fragmentation were assigned based on individuals' neighborhood histories. Fixed-effect regressions were conducted to assess within-person associations between single and multiple exposures on mental health for the entire sample and stratified by gender and income. Our single-exposure models showed that increases in blue space were significantly associated with mental health improvements, while increases in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) resulted in declines in mental health. These associations were not attenuated in the multi-exposure model. We observed no significant associations for the remaining environments. Stratification analyses showed that females' mental health further declined as PM2.5 concentrations increased compared to males. Increasing levels of socioeconomic deprivation were associated with further declines in mental health among the less well-off compared with higher-income earners. Our longitudinal findings suggested that neighborhood physical and social environment changes were associated with mental health changes. Future research is required to establish the underlying pathways.

The health perception of urban green spaces and its emotional impact on young adults: an empirical study from three cities in China

Introduction

Exposure to green space can bring many benefits to physical and mental health, but in China, the attractiveness of green space to youth groups seems to be not significant. The question of how to encourage young people to go out of the house to better perceive green space, enjoy nature, and promote physical and mental health is on our minds.

Methods

This study combines young people's green space perception, green space use, and purpose of visit to explore its impact on the emotional health of youth groups, combined with the PANAS psychological data scale, an online questionnaire survey of 426 residents (18-35  years old) in three Chinese cities, and was used to construct a multiple regression model and AMOS structural equations.

Results and discussion

The results of the study showed that, firstly, environmental attractiveness, environmental odor, and number of facilities were the key factors influencing adolescents' landscape perception evaluation, while activity space, environmental odor, and environmental attractiveness had a greater impact on adolescents' emotional well-being. Second, among adolescents' visit purposes, socializing and fitness were more likely to help them generate positive emotions while resting and viewing activities were effective in helping them alleviate negative emotions. In addition, in terms of usage, residents who took public transportation as well as those who arrived on foot were the most emotionally healthy. The findings of this paper provide insights for public policymakers, urban planners, and landscape architects to better encourage youth participation in green spaces when they are installed.

Effects of housing layout and perceived behavioral control over social distancing in relation between social isolation and psychological distress during pandemic of COVID-19

Due to the results of the COVID-19 epidemic on health, the positive effect of social distancing has been highlighted. Nevertheless, the effect of housing layouts on resident's perceived behavioral control over social distancing in shared open spaces have been rarely investigated in the context of pandemic. Filling this gap, the current study examines the moderating effect of perceived behavioral control on the relationship between social isolation and psychological distress. Data from 1349 women residing in 9 gated communities during the Iranian national lockdown were collected. The results of ANOVA indicate that there is a significant difference between various housing layouts in terms of residents' perceived behavioral control. Respondent in courtyard blocks layout reported higher perceived behavioral control over social distancing than in linear and freestanding blocks. The findings of structural equation modeling identified perceived behavioral control as a buffer against the effect of social isolation on psychological distress.

The Effects of Winter Parks in Cold Regions on Cognition Recovery and Emotion Improvement of Older Adults: An Empirical Study of Changchun Parks

Urban parks are one of the primary settings for older adults to exercise, and their health benefits have been confirmed by a large number of studies. However, with the increased social attention to mental health, there is not enough research on the short-term mental health recovery of older adults in parks. Meanwhile, the health recovery effects of winter parks in special climate areas have not been well explored. This study aimed to explore the effects of winter parks in cold regions on the short-term mental health recovery of older adults and the potential predictors of these effects, including individual status, park characteristics, and behavioral characteristics. This study divided short-term mental health recovery into cognitive recovery and emotional improvement, and selected the digit span test and 10 kinds of emotional expression as the experimental methods, recruited 92 older adults from 6 parks in Changchun, and compared the pre-test and post-test results for evaluation. The results showed that winter parks in cold cities still had short-term cognitive recovery and emotional improvement effects on older adults. The main park characteristic factors affecting the overall cognitive recovery were the evergreen vegetation area and the existence of structures, and that which affected the overall emotional improvement was the main pathway length. Furthermore, individual conditions, including gender, age, physical health, living and customary conditions, and park characteristics, including park type, park area, main pathway length, square area, equipment area, evergreen vegetation area, the presence of water, and structures, all related to short-term mental health recovery effects. Among behavioral characteristics, stay time in parks and MVPA (Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity) times were also related to certain effects, but behavior type was not.

Green place rather than green space as a health determinant: A 20-year scoping review

Numerous scientific studies, applying different approaches, have provided evidence of the links between the environment and people's health. Green spaces have been the subject of research aimed at exploring their benefits as components of the urban environment. We investigated possible causal relationships between green spaces and health, with the aim of addressing the following question. Does the mere material presence of green spaces contribute to the health of people who live in its vicinity, or are the health-promoting qualities of green spaces attributed to the ability of people to actually see, access, and enjoy them? The latter view highlights the relational dimension of places, and it entails personal relationships with places which are imbued with psychological meaning and significance for those who visit and experience them. We reviewed relevant literature, comprising a total of 189 papers on this topic that have been published over the first two decades of this century. Our findings showed that the material aspects of green spaces, such as their abundance and proximity to residences, received much more attention in studies than their quality and characteristics. However, relational rather than material measures of green spaces demonstrated statistically greater positive impacts of green spaces on health. These findings indicate that both sensory stimuli and activities and feelings attached to green spaces are essential for better health outcomes. Incorporating a relational perspective of green place-thinking into the existing literature on green spaces and health could contribute to optimizing the positive effects of green spaces and thus to the creation of healthy and livable cities.

Longitudinal Association of Physical Activity, Mastery and Psychological Distress in Mid-Aged Adults over 9-Years

Psychological distress is highly prevalent and associated with significant adverse health outcomes and economic burden. Mastery and physical activity are potential resources to reduce distress and promote wellbeing; however, previous research has not examined their potential interactive relationship over time. The purpose of this study was to explore associations between mastery, physical activity, and distress in mid-aged adults over nine years. Data from a longitudinal mail survey study including the Kessler 6, Pearlin Mastery Scale, and items assessing time spent in physical activity were examined in a sample of 4404 adults aged 40 to 54 years at baseline. Group-Based Trajectory Models identified two distinct trajectories of psychological distress (elevated and low). Generalized Estimating Equations were used to assess mastery and physical activity, adjusting for sociodemographic and health variables, as predictors for the probability of distress group membership. The odds of elevated distress over time were significantly reduced in people with higher mastery (OR = 0.13; 95% 0.11-0.15) and doing at least 150 min/week of physical activity (OR = 0.81; 95% 0.68-0.96). There was no significant interaction between mastery and physical activity. Mastery and physical activity may be important resources to mitigate distress and further research is needed to evaluate interventions promoting these resources and the impact on mid-aged adults experiencing psychological distress.

The built environment and mental health among older adults in Dalian: The mediating role of perceived environmental attributes

The basic attributes of the urban built environment are an important factor affecting mental health. However, research has rarely distinguished objective and perceived built environment characteristics to explore the associations with older adults' mental health. Based on data of 879 respondents aged 60 or older in Dalian, China, we explored the mediating roles of perceived built environmental attributes in the relationship between objective built environmental characteristics and mental wellbeing by structural equation modelling. Furthermore, to control for residential self-selection, the model was further tested by excluding the participants who self-selected their residences. The results showed that accessibility to daily living service facilities was positively associated with older adults' mental wellbeing through an indirect role of perceived built environmental attributes. The positive direct effect of aggregation of daily living service facilities on mental wellbeing was offset by the negative indirect effects of perceived built environmental attributes. In addition, the street interface density was negatively related to mental wellbeing through indirect effects. The diverse leisure, exercise and landscape facilities, underground parking and presence of elevators within neighborhoods were all positively associated with older adults' mental wellbeing through direct and/or indirect effects. The results were verified after excluding residential self-selection samples. These findings are helpful for evidence-based planning strategies and can provide guidelines on designing neighborhood landscapes and facilities which can further contribute to aging in place policies.

How Urban Residents Perceive Nature Education: A Survey from Eight Metropolises in China

“Nature education” has become a striking trend in the field of environmental and sustainable development education in mainland China in recent years, which is considered to be a powerful force to realize the 11th goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, namely, “Sustainable Cities and Communities”. Chinese urban residents’ perceptions of “nature education” are fundamental to the success of “nature education” but we still know very little about it. This study aims to gather insights on the awareness, attitudes, and behaviors towards nature and nature education. In this paper, online questionnaires and random sampling methods were used. An online questionnaire survey was conducted among urban residents in eight representative cities in China, namely, Beijing (n = 313), Shanghai (n = 314), Guangzhou (n = 307), Shenzhen (n = 308), Chengdu (n = 206), Xiamen (n = 207), Hangzhou (n = 203), and Wuhan (n = 206). This study implied that Chinese urban residents are willing to accept nature education. There is a strong sense among the Chinese public in cities that living in harmony with nature, improving wellbeing through healthy and sustainable actions, and enjoying and protecting nature are desirable actions. However, respondents were slightly less likely to consider the emotional benefits and the development of social and functional (technical) skills as important elements of participating in nature education. The results also confirm that Chinese urban residents’ perceptions of nature education can be positively predicted by the individual’s relationship with nature and the individual’s experience related to nature education. These are important key messages for nature education organizations to communicate. The results of the study put forward some questions worthy of in-depth consideration for the development of China’s nature education, which can provide a foundation and direction for the further development of nature education in China.

Does exposure to greenness improve children's neuropsychological development and mental health? A Navigation Guide systematic review of observational evidence for associations

BACKGROUND

Contact with nature may have a key role in child brain development. Recent observational studies have reported improvements in children's neuropsychological development and mental health associated with greenness exposure. In a rapidly urbanizing word, researchers, policymakers, healthcare workers and urban planners need to work together to elaborate evidence-based policies and interventions to increase the availability of quality green space with the potential to enhance childhood development.

OBJECTIVE

To review the observational evidence assessing the effect of exposure to greenness on children's neuropsychological development and mental health.

METHODS

The protocol for the review was preregistered at PROSPERO (CRD42020213838). The Navigation Guide systematic review methodology was followed. Search strategies were formulated and adapted to each database. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO's GreenFILE on October 5, 2021. Additional articles were further identified by hand-searching reference lists of included papers.

RESULTS

A systematic search of 4 databases identified 621 studies, of which 34 were included in the review. The studies included investigated diverse domains within neuropsychological development and mental health, such as attention, working memory, intelligence, cognitive development, academic performance, well-being, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, and behavior. Most of the studies were rated as having high or probably high risk of bias in the assessment.

DISCUSSION

Although nearly all studies showed a positive association between greenness exposure and the outcomes studied, the heterogeneity in the methods used to assess exposure and the diversity of domains within each main outcome has made it difficult to draw clear conclusions. Future studies should adopt a longitudinal design to confirm the causality of the associations and include measures to determine which characteristics of greenness have the greatest influence on each domain. Researchers should also try to explore pathways linking exposure to greenness with the neuropsychological development and mental health, by implementing mechanistic studies.

Residents’ Living Environments, Self-Rated Health Status and Perceptions of Urban Green Space Benefits

Urban green space (UGS) could contribute to sustainable urban development. Studying residents’ perception of UGS ecological benefits could provide the empirical basis to improve UGS management and quality of life. Based on the questionnaire surveys of 432 residents in Beijing, assisted by non-parametric statistical tests, this paper assessed the relationships between residents’ living environments and self-rated health status and their impacts on residents’ perceptions of UGS ecological benefits. We paid attention to residents’ perceptions of UGS’s notable thermal environmental benefits under the climate-change backdrop. The results showed that: (1) Residents were inclined to perceive direct UGS ecological benefits better than the indirect types; (2) Residents growing up in the city had better self-rated health status than those growing up in the suburb and the village; and residents growing up in the suburb had a better understanding of the cooling benefits of green walls; (3) Residents currently dwelling in the city had a better understanding of UGS benefits, including shading, cooling by green roofs, mitigating the heat island effect and enhancing urban biodiversity, than those dwelling in the village; and (4) Residents with “very good” self-rated health status had a significantly better understanding of UGS benefits regarding shading, providing varied colors and habitats, storing carbon, purifying air, and collecting rainwater.

How Does Urban Green Space Impact Residents' Mental Health: A Literature Review of Mediators

In recent years, the interest in the relationship between urban green space and residents’ mental health has gradually risen. A number of researchers have investigated the causal relationship and possible mediators between the two, although few have summarized these mediators. For this reason, we searched for relevant studies and filtered them by criteria and quality score, and analyzed the mediators and paths of the impact of urban green space on residents’ mental health. The mediators can be divided into environmental factors, outdoor activity, and social cohesion. From the perspective of heterogeneity, both individual characteristics (e.g., age and gender) and group characteristics (e.g., level of urban development and urban density) of residents are considered to be the cause of various mediating effects. Types of urban green space tend to affect residents’ mental health through different paths. Furthermore, this review discusses the details of each part under the influence paths. Finally, the policy implications for urban green space planning from three mediator levels are put forward based on an analysis of the situation in different countries.

Environmental and socioeconomic factors influencing the use of urban green spaces in Coimbra (Portugal)

Urban green spaces (UGS) deliver a wide range of regulating, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services (CES), relevant to support the achievement of some United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., Goal 11: sustainable cities and communities, and Goal 3: good health and well-being). However, knowledge of preferences and uses of UGS by urban dwellers is still lacking. This study assesses the CES perceived by different users in five distinct urban parks located in Coimbra, Portugal: Manuel Braga (secular park), Botanical garden, Choupal national forest, Mondego green park (large area placed next to the river), and Vale das Flores (linear park located in a residential area). A questionnaire survey was performed in each park to investigate the activities performed and their relevance for the users, users' motivations to develop the activities on that specific UGS, the perceived benefits regarding physical and emotional well-being and social interactions, and users' perception about disservices. The results showed that walking, meeting people, practicing and doing activities with children are the activities performed by most users and are perceived as beneficial for physical and emotional well-being. Multifunctionality is a characteristic of all parks and highly appreciated by the users. Significant differences in socio-demographic characteristics of the users and motivations are recorded between parks. The tranquillity of space and landscape beauty are the main motivations to use Manuel Braga Park and the Botanical garden. Distance to the park and transportation means are particularly important for Botanical garden and Vale das Flores park users. Age group and average monthly income were associated in both Choupal national forest, Mondego green park and Vale das Flores park, denoting that older and wealthier users are more able to enjoy these parks. Users' problems or ecosystem disservices were not identified, although plagues (e.g., mosquitoes) and dangerous animals recorded average concerns in the Choupal national forest and in the Vale das Flores and Mondego green parks. This work's findings can help decision-makers better understand users' needs and expectations, thus improving UGS design and management to attract more citizens.

The role of perceived public and private green space in subjective health and wellbeing during and after the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak

Research has consistently shown that access to parks and gardens is beneficial to people's health and wellbeing. In this paper, we explore the role of both public and private green space in subjective health and wellbeing during and after the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak that took place in the UK in the first half of 2020. It makes use of the longitudinal COVID-19 Public Experiences (COPE) study, with baseline data collected in March/April 2020 (during the first peak) and follow-up data collected in June/July 2020 (after the first peak) which included an optional module that asked respondents about their home and neighbourhood (n = 5,566). Regression analyses revealed that both perceived access to public green space (e.g. a park or woodland) and reported access to a private green space (a private garden) were associated with better subjective wellbeing and self-rated health. In line with the health compensation hypothesis for green space, private gardens had a greater protective effect where the nearest green space was perceived to be more than a 10-minute walk away. This interaction was however only present during the first COVID-19 peak when severe lockdown restrictions came into place, but not in the post-peak period when restrictions were being eased. The study found few differences across demographic groups. A private garden was relatively more beneficial for men than for women during but not after the first peak. The results suggest that both public and private green space are an important resource for health and wellbeing in times of crisis.

Green space and suicide mortality in Japan: An ecological study

Although numerous studies have investigated the effect of green space on mental health, as yet, little is known about the association between green space and suicide. To address this deficit, we conducted the first Japan-wide study of the relationship between green space and suicide mortality. Results from spatial analyses of municipality-level panel data for the 1975-2014 period that included 886,440 suicide deaths with a fixed-effect estimator showed that green space was associated with suicide mortality, and that this relationship was conditioned by the form of greenness, level of urbanity and demographic characteristics. In densely populated cities, park density (parks per 1000 of the population) was associated with reduced suicide mortality among females aged 18 and above and among males aged 18 to 39 and aged 65 and above. In small- and medium-sized cities, park coverage (% by area) was linked to fewer suicide deaths among middle-aged and older females (aged 40 and above). In contrast, in non-cities (rural areas), parks were not associated with suicide mortality whereas woodland coverage (% by area) was linked to reduced suicide deaths among middle-aged and older males (aged 40 and above). Our findings suggest that urban green space and rural forest coverage may have a protective effect against self-harming behavior. Future suicide prevention efforts should consider an increased greening of the residential environment in terms of both availability and accessibility, especially with better designs that accommodate population needs and local conditions.

E. M. Browning M, Rigolon A. Noncommunicable Diseases, Park Prescriptions, and Urban Green Space Use Patterns in a Global South Context: The Case of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Urban green space use is often associated with improved physical and mental health and lower noncommunicable disease (NCDs) burdens. Factors that influence green space visits have been documented in cities of the Global North, but evidence of urban green space use patterns for cities in the Global South is scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate factors influencing urban green space use patterns in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a megacity of the Global South, with a particular focus on how poor health condition and healthcare professionals' prescriptions to exercise outdoors (park prescriptions-ParkRx) impact the green space use of middle-aged adults. We collected green space characteristics and use factors (i.e., availability, accessibility, attractiveness, and attachment), health condition, ParkRx, and urban green space use intensity (i.e., frequency and duration) via a self-reported questionnaire from 169 middle-aged residents of Dhaka. We used multivariate modeling to estimate the association of green space characteristics, health condition, and ParkRx with use intensity. We further applied a mediation analysis to determine the influence of ParkRx on the relationship between residents' poor health conditions and use intensity. We found that green space availability and accessibility did not significantly influence use intensity, but attractiveness was negatively associated with use intensity. Green space use intensity was significantly and positively associated with attachment to the green space, poor health condition (i.e., having noncommunicable diseases), and ParkRx. ParkRx significantly mediated the relationship between health condition and use intensity. We observed limited supply, poor access, and low attractiveness when studying the urban green spaces in Dhaka, but these qualities did not affect use intensity, as found in many case studies in the Global North. In contrast, urban green space use intensity in our case study is mostly dependent on poor health condition and park prescriptions.

Spatial dimensions of the influence of urban green-blue spaces on human health: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing volume of literature investigating the links between urban environments and human health, much of which involves spatial conceptualisations and research designs involving various aspects of geographical information science. Despite intensifying research interest, there has been little systematic investigation of pragmatic methodological concerns, such as how studies are realised in terms of the types of data that are gathered and the analytical techniques that are applied, both of which have the potential to impact results. The aim of this systematic review is, therefore, to understand how spatial scale, datasets, methods, and analytics are currently applied in studies investigating the relationship between green and blue spaces and human health in urban areas.

METHOD

We systematically reviewed 93 articles following PRISMA protocol, extracted information regarding different spatial dimensions, and synthesised them in relation to various health indicators.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We found a preponderance of the use of neighbourhood-scale in these studies, and a majority of the studies utilised land-use and vegetation indices gleaned from moderate resolution satellite imagery. We also observed the frequent adoption of fixed spatial units for measuring exposure to green and blue spaces based on physical proximity, typically ranging between 30 and 5000 m. The conceptual frameworks of the studies (e.g., the focus on physical vs. mental health or the definition of exposure to green space) were found to have an influence on the strength of association between exposure and health outcomes. Additionally, the strength and significance of associations also varied by study design, something which has not been considered systematically.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of our findings, we propose a set of recommendations for standardised protocols and methods for the evaluation of the impact of green-blue spaces on health. Our analysis suggests that future studies should consider conducting analyses at finer spatial scales and employing multiple exposure assessment methods to achieve a comprehensive and comparable evaluation of the association between greenspace and health along multiple pathways.