Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities
Park use has numerous health benefits. However, little research has investigated how the combination of park facilities, amenities, and conditions are related to park visitation. This study examined the association between a novel composite park quality metric and the use of specific parks, includin...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523002723 |
| _version_ | 1797680807599407104 |
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| author | Andrew T. Kaczynski Marilyn Wende Morgan Hughey Ellen Stowe Jasper Schipperijn Aaron Hipp Mohammad Javad Koohsari |
| author_facet | Andrew T. Kaczynski Marilyn Wende Morgan Hughey Ellen Stowe Jasper Schipperijn Aaron Hipp Mohammad Javad Koohsari |
| author_sort | Andrew T. Kaczynski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Park use has numerous health benefits. However, little research has investigated how the combination of park facilities, amenities, and conditions are related to park visitation. This study examined the association between a novel composite park quality metric and the use of specific parks, including variations by demographics. Data were collected in 128 census block groups across four diverse cities in the USA. Adults (n = 262) used an online, map-based survey to indicate which parks within one half-mile they had used within the past 30 days. All parks (n = 263) were audited using the Community Park Audit Tool, and a composite quality metric was calculated by standardizing and averaging six key components: access, facilities, amenities, aesthetic features, quality concerns, and neighborhood concerns. A total of 2429 participant-park pairs were analyzed. The average park quality score was 40.4/100 (s.d. = 30.2). For the full sample, a greater park quality score was significantly related to park use (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01–1.03) such that for each one unit increase in a park’s quality score, there was a 2% increase in the likelihood of the park being used. There was also a significant interaction by gender, with park quality associated with park use among females (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02–1.05) but not males (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.99–1.02). Enhancing overall park quality may increase the likelihood of a park being used. Future research can explore the utility of this comprehensive quality metric for predicting other health behaviors and outcomes and how interventions to enhance park quality augment park use and health over time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:35:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0ff1eafaed1542d0b69745cefe22e18a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-3355 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:35:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Preventive Medicine Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-0ff1eafaed1542d0b69745cefe22e18a2023-09-20T04:21:15ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552023-10-0135102381Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse citiesAndrew T. Kaczynski0Marilyn Wende1Morgan Hughey2Ellen Stowe3Jasper Schipperijn4Aaron Hipp5Mohammad Javad Koohsari6Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USADepartment of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USADepartment of Health and Human Performance, School of Health Sciences, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USADepartment of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USADepartment of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, DenmarkDepartment of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USASchool of Advanced Science and Technology, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan; Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan; Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Corresponding author at: 1 Chome-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1211, Japan.Park use has numerous health benefits. However, little research has investigated how the combination of park facilities, amenities, and conditions are related to park visitation. This study examined the association between a novel composite park quality metric and the use of specific parks, including variations by demographics. Data were collected in 128 census block groups across four diverse cities in the USA. Adults (n = 262) used an online, map-based survey to indicate which parks within one half-mile they had used within the past 30 days. All parks (n = 263) were audited using the Community Park Audit Tool, and a composite quality metric was calculated by standardizing and averaging six key components: access, facilities, amenities, aesthetic features, quality concerns, and neighborhood concerns. A total of 2429 participant-park pairs were analyzed. The average park quality score was 40.4/100 (s.d. = 30.2). For the full sample, a greater park quality score was significantly related to park use (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01–1.03) such that for each one unit increase in a park’s quality score, there was a 2% increase in the likelihood of the park being used. There was also a significant interaction by gender, with park quality associated with park use among females (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02–1.05) but not males (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.99–1.02). Enhancing overall park quality may increase the likelihood of a park being used. Future research can explore the utility of this comprehensive quality metric for predicting other health behaviors and outcomes and how interventions to enhance park quality augment park use and health over time.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523002723Public green spaceScience-based urban designWalkingNeighborhoodPublic healthHealthy urban design |
| spellingShingle | Andrew T. Kaczynski Marilyn Wende Morgan Hughey Ellen Stowe Jasper Schipperijn Aaron Hipp Mohammad Javad Koohsari Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities Preventive Medicine Reports Public green space Science-based urban design Walking Neighborhood Public health Healthy urban design |
| title | Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities |
| title_full | Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities |
| title_fullStr | Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities |
| title_short | Association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities |
| title_sort | association of composite park quality with park use in four diverse cities |
| topic | Public green space Science-based urban design Walking Neighborhood Public health Healthy urban design |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335523002723 |
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