Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents
Abstract Background Outdoor public recreation spaces are important settings for leisure and physical activity. Adolescents’ use of these spaces may contribute to social connectedness via social interaction with peers and the community in these settings. However, research on this topic is limited. Th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12558-6 |
| _version_ | 1819280460150210560 |
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| author | Elise Rivera Jenny Veitch Venurs H. Y. Loh Jo Salmon Ester Cerin Suzanne Mavoa Karen Villanueva Anna Timperio |
| author_facet | Elise Rivera Jenny Veitch Venurs H. Y. Loh Jo Salmon Ester Cerin Suzanne Mavoa Karen Villanueva Anna Timperio |
| author_sort | Elise Rivera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Outdoor public recreation spaces are important settings for leisure and physical activity. Adolescents’ use of these spaces may contribute to social connectedness via social interaction with peers and the community in these settings. However, research on this topic is limited. This exploratory study examined associations of frequency of visitation and physical activity in outdoor public recreation spaces with social connectedness among adolescents in Melbourne, Australia. Methods Adolescents self-reported their frequency of visitation to parks, trails, beach/lake, and sports facilities; frequency of physical activity in a park, local street or path, and their street; and social connectedness. Separate analyses were conducted for visitation (n = 349, 15.4 ± 1.6 years, 58% female) and physical activity (n = 441, 15.4 ± 1.6 years, 59% female) using multilevel linear regression models. Results No significant associations were observed for frequency of visitation to a park (B = 0.86, 95% CI = − 0.26, 1.99), trails (B = 0.41, 95% CI = − 0.61, 1.44), beach/lake (B = − 0.44, 95% CI = − 1.46, 0.57), or sports facilities (B = 0.64, 95% CI = − 0.43, 1.70), nor for frequency of physical activity in their street (B = − 0.07, 95% CI = − 0.46, 0.31), local street/path (B = − 0.05, 95% CI = − 0.43, 0.33) or in a park (B = 0.23, 95% CI = − 0.14, 0.60) with adolescents’ social connectedness. Conclusions The findings did not support the hypothesis that visiting and being active in outdoor public recreation spaces are associated with adolescents’ social connectedness. Future research should consider the duration and context of outdoor public recreation space use (e.g., sports, socialising, relaxing alone) and whether different types and/or a combination of public spaces are more/less conducive to social connectedness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:44:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2df97fe9932d4b5a91231194648ff8c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:44:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-2df97fe9932d4b5a91231194648ff8c92022-12-21T17:23:52ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-01-0122111010.1186/s12889-022-12558-6Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescentsElise Rivera0Jenny Veitch1Venurs H. Y. Loh2Jo Salmon3Ester Cerin4Suzanne Mavoa5Karen Villanueva6Anna Timperio7Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityMary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic UniversityMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of MelbourneThe Centre for Urban Research, RMIT UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityAbstract Background Outdoor public recreation spaces are important settings for leisure and physical activity. Adolescents’ use of these spaces may contribute to social connectedness via social interaction with peers and the community in these settings. However, research on this topic is limited. This exploratory study examined associations of frequency of visitation and physical activity in outdoor public recreation spaces with social connectedness among adolescents in Melbourne, Australia. Methods Adolescents self-reported their frequency of visitation to parks, trails, beach/lake, and sports facilities; frequency of physical activity in a park, local street or path, and their street; and social connectedness. Separate analyses were conducted for visitation (n = 349, 15.4 ± 1.6 years, 58% female) and physical activity (n = 441, 15.4 ± 1.6 years, 59% female) using multilevel linear regression models. Results No significant associations were observed for frequency of visitation to a park (B = 0.86, 95% CI = − 0.26, 1.99), trails (B = 0.41, 95% CI = − 0.61, 1.44), beach/lake (B = − 0.44, 95% CI = − 1.46, 0.57), or sports facilities (B = 0.64, 95% CI = − 0.43, 1.70), nor for frequency of physical activity in their street (B = − 0.07, 95% CI = − 0.46, 0.31), local street/path (B = − 0.05, 95% CI = − 0.43, 0.33) or in a park (B = 0.23, 95% CI = − 0.14, 0.60) with adolescents’ social connectedness. Conclusions The findings did not support the hypothesis that visiting and being active in outdoor public recreation spaces are associated with adolescents’ social connectedness. Future research should consider the duration and context of outdoor public recreation space use (e.g., sports, socialising, relaxing alone) and whether different types and/or a combination of public spaces are more/less conducive to social connectedness.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12558-6YouthNeighbourhoodParksSports facilitiesBeachesStreets |
| spellingShingle | Elise Rivera Jenny Veitch Venurs H. Y. Loh Jo Salmon Ester Cerin Suzanne Mavoa Karen Villanueva Anna Timperio Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents BMC Public Health Youth Neighbourhood Parks Sports facilities Beaches Streets |
| title | Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents |
| title_full | Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents |
| title_fullStr | Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents |
| title_short | Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents |
| title_sort | outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents |
| topic | Youth Neighbourhood Parks Sports facilities Beaches Streets |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12558-6 |
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