IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v94y2013icp26-33.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Streetscape greenery and health: Stress, social cohesion and physical activity as mediators

Author

Listed:
  • de Vries, Sjerp
  • van Dillen, Sonja M.E.
  • Groenewegen, Peter P.
  • Spreeuwenberg, Peter

Abstract

Several studies have shown a positive relationship between local greenspace availability and residents' health, which may offer opportunities for health improvement. This study focuses on three mechanisms through which greenery might exert its positive effect on health: stress reduction, stimulating physical activity and facilitating social cohesion. Knowledge on mechanisms helps to identify which type of greenspace is most effective in generating health benefits. In eighty neighbourhoods in four Dutch cities data on quantity and quality of streetscape greenery were collected by observations. Data on self-reported health and proposed mediators were obtained for adults by mail questionnaires (N = 1641). Multilevel regression analyses, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, revealed that both quantity and quality of streetscape greenery were related to perceived general health, acute health-related complaints, and mental health. Relationships were generally stronger for quality than for quantity. Stress and social cohesion were the strongest mediators. Total physical activity was not a mediator. Physical activity that could be undertaken in the public space (green activity) was, but less so than stress and social cohesion. With all three mediators included in the analysis, complete mediation could statistically be proven in five out of six cases. In these analyses the contribution of green activity was often not significant. The possibility that the effect of green activity is mediated by stress and social cohesion, rather than that it has a direct health effect, is discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • de Vries, Sjerp & van Dillen, Sonja M.E. & Groenewegen, Peter P. & Spreeuwenberg, Peter, 2013. "Streetscape greenery and health: Stress, social cohesion and physical activity as mediators," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 26-33.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:94:y:2013:i:c:p:26-33
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.06.030
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953613003742
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.06.030?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. van den Berg, Agnes E. & Maas, Jolanda & Verheij, Robert A. & Groenewegen, Peter P., 2010. "Green space as a buffer between stressful life events and health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1203-1210, April.
    2. J. Pretty & J. Peacock & R. Hine & M. Sellens & N. South & M. Griffin, 2007. "Green exercise in the UK countryside: Effects on health and psychological well-being, and implications for policy and planning," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(2), pages 211-231.
    3. Giles-Corti, Billie & Donovan, Robert J., 2002. "The relative influence of individual, social and physical environment determinants of physical activity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 54(12), pages 1793-1812, June.
    4. Phillips, David R. & Siu, Oi-ling & Yeh, Anthony G.O. & Cheng, Kevin H.C., 2005. "The impacts of dwelling conditions on older persons' psychological well-being in Hong Kong: the mediating role of residential satisfaction," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(12), pages 2785-2797, June.
    5. Richardson, Elizabeth A. & Mitchell, Richard, 2010. "Gender differences in relationships between urban green space and health in the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 568-575, August.
    6. van Lenthe, F. J. & Brug, J. & Mackenbach, J. P., 2005. "Neighbourhood inequalities in physical inactivity: the role of neighbourhood attractiveness, proximity to local facilities and safety in the Netherlands," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 763-775, February.
    7. Pikora, Terri & Giles-Corti, Billie & Bull, Fiona & Jamrozik, Konrad & Donovan, Rob, 2003. "Developing a framework for assessment of the environmental determinants of walking and cycling," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 1693-1703, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jiang, Wenhao & Stickley, Andrew & Ueda, Michiko, 2021. "Green space and suicide mortality in Japan: An ecological study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    2. Somajita Paul & Harini Nagendra, 2017. "Factors Influencing Perceptions and Use of Urban Nature: Surveys of Park Visitors in Delhi," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-23, April.
    3. Siqi Lai & Brian Deal, 2022. "Parks, Green Space, and Happiness: A Spatially Specific Sentiment Analysis Using Microblogs in Shanghai, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Bentley, Rebecca & Jolley, Damien & Kavanagh, Anne Marie, 2010. "Local environments as determinants of walking in Melbourne, Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(11), pages 1806-1815, June.
    5. Li, Shengxiao & Zhao, Pengjun & Zhang, He & Quan, Jing, 2019. "Walking behavior in the old downtown Beijing: The impact of perceptions and attitudes and social variations," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 1-11.
    6. Peter Barlow & Sean Lyons & Anne Nolan, 2021. "How Perceived Adequacy of Open Public Space Is Related to Objective Green Space and Individuals’ Opinions of Area-Level Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-15, July.
    7. Cerin, Ester & Leslie, Eva & Owen, Neville, 2009. "Explaining socio-economic status differences in walking for transport: An ecological analysis of individual, social and environmental factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1013-1020, March.
    8. Yang Zhang & Agnes E. Van den Berg & Terry Van Dijk & Gerd Weitkamp, 2017. "Quality over Quantity: Contribution of Urban Green Space to Neighborhood Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-10, May.
    9. Ben Ma & Tiantian Zhou & Shuo Lei & Yali Wen & Theint Theint Htun, 2019. "Effects of urban green spaces on residents’ well-being," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2793-2809, December.
    10. Manuela Peters & Tiara Ratz & Frauke Wichmann & Sonia Lippke & Claudia Voelcker-Rehage & Claudia R. Pischke, 2022. "Ecological Predictors of Older Adults’ Participation and Retention in a Physical Activity Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-25, March.
    11. Cutts, Bethany B. & Darby, Kate J. & Boone, Christopher G. & Brewis, Alexandra, 2009. "City structure, obesity, and environmental justice: An integrated analysis of physical and social barriers to walkable streets and park access," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 1314-1322, November.
    12. Mitchell, Richard, 2013. "Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health than physical activity in other environments?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 130-134.
    13. Ann Forsyth & Mary Hearst & J. Michael Oakes & Kathryn H. Schmitz, 2008. "Design and Destinations: Factors Influencing Walking and Total Physical Activity," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(9), pages 1973-1996, August.
    14. van Lenthe, F. J. & Brug, J. & Mackenbach, J. P., 2005. "Neighbourhood inequalities in physical inactivity: the role of neighbourhood attractiveness, proximity to local facilities and safety in the Netherlands," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 763-775, February.
    15. Lisa Farrell & Bruce Hollingsworth & Carol Propper & Michael A Shields, 2013. "The Socioeconomic Gradient in Physical Inactivity in England," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 13/311, The Centre for Market and Public Organisation, University of Bristol, UK.
    16. Bruno Marques & Claire Freeman & Lyn Carter & Maibritt Pedersen Zari, 2021. "Conceptualising Therapeutic Environments through Culture, Indigenous Knowledge and Landscape for Health and Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-22, August.
    17. Leonor Gallardo & Pablo Burillo & Marta García-Tascón & Juan Salinero, 2009. "The Ranking of the Regions With Regard to Their Sports Facilities to Improve Their Planning in Sport: The Case of Spain," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 94(2), pages 297-317, November.
    18. Darker, Catherine D. & Larkin, Michael & French, David P., 2007. "An exploration of walking behaviour--An interpretative phenomenological approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(10), pages 2172-2183, November.
    19. Sandifer, Paul A. & Sutton-Grier, Ariana E. & Ward, Bethney P., 2015. "Exploring connections among nature, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health and well-being: Opportunities to enhance health and biodiversity conservation," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 1-15.
    20. Yukun Zhao & Feng Yu & Bo Jing & Xiaomeng Hu & Ang Luo & Kaiping Peng, 2019. "An Analysis of Well-Being Determinants at the City Level in China Using Big Data," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 973-994, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:94:y:2013:i:c:p:26-33. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.