IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i20p3808-d274803.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Older Adults’ Preference for Landscape Features Along Urban Park Walkways in Nanjing, China

Author

Listed:
  • Xinxin Wang

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Horticulture, Post-doctoral Research Station in Public Administration, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China)

  • Susan Rodiek

    (Department of Architecture, Center for Health Systems & Design, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3137, USA)

Abstract

Evidence shows that walking in urban parks has multiple health benefits for older adults, but little research is available on their preference for specific walkway features. This study explored a range of common landscape and hardscape features to learn which were preferred by park users over age 60. This photo comparison study hypothesized that older adults would prefer certain features of urban park walkways, with each feature represented by four different paired images (28 pairs in all). Within each pair of photos, both were identical except for the specific feature being tested in that comparison, where the image was digitally modified to depict the hypothesized feature. A total of 283 older adults (mean age 71 years) completed the survey by selecting the images they preferred. In this Chinese sample, older park users significantly favored all seven hypothesized walkway features, providing empirical support for the existing research and design-based literature on green space for older adults. This study found minor gender differences in visual preferences for walkway features and increasing preference for access to seating with advancing age. By helping to confirm which walkway features are preferred by older adults, these findings can be used to improve the future design and management of urban parks in China, which are an important source of exercise and recreation for nearby elderly residents.

Suggested Citation

  • Xinxin Wang & Susan Rodiek, 2019. "Older Adults’ Preference for Landscape Features Along Urban Park Walkways in Nanjing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-22, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:20:p:3808-:d:274803
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/20/3808/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/20/3808/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eryn Pleson & Laura M. Nieuwendyk & Karen K. Lee & Anuradha Chaddah & Candace I. J. Nykiforuk & Donald Schopflocher, 2014. "Understanding Older Adults’ Usage of Community Green Spaces in Taipei, Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-21, January.
    2. Karin K. Peschardt & Ulrika K. Stigsdotter & Jasper Schipperrijn, 2016. "Identifying Features of Pocket Parks that May Be Related to Health Promoting Use," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 79-94, January.
    3. Shu Lin Shi & Chau Ming Tong & Clare Cooper Marcus, 2019. "What makes a garden in the elderly care facility well used?," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 256-269, February.
    4. Marianne T Gonzalez & Marit Kirkevold, 2014. "Benefits of sensory garden and horticultural activities in dementia care: a modified scoping review," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(19-20), pages 2698-2715, October.
    5. Philip D. Sloane & C. Madeline Mitchell & Gerald Weisman & Sheryl Zimmerman & Kristie M. Long Foley & Mary Lynn & Margaret Calkins & M. Powell Lawton & Jeanne Teresi & Leslie Grant & David Lindeman & , 2002. "The Therapeutic Environment Screening Survey for Nursing Homes (TESS-NH)," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 57(2), pages 69-78.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kinga Kimic & Paulina Polko, 2022. "The Use of Urban Parks by Older Adults in the Context of Perceived Security," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-20, March.
    2. Ruochen Ma & Yuxin Luo & Katsunori Furuya, 2023. "Gender Differences and Optimizing Women’s Experiences: An Exploratory Study of Visual Behavior While Viewing Urban Park Landscapes in Tokyo, Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, February.
    3. Wenbo Li & Jiaqi Wu & Wenting Xu & Ye Zhong & Zhihao Wang, 2022. "How Thermal Perceptual Schema Mediates Landscape Quality Evaluation and Activity Willingness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-27, October.

    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. Hyun Jin Lee & Dong Kun Lee, 2019. "Do Sociodemographic Factors and Urban Green Space Affect Mental Health Outcomes Among the Urban Elderly Population?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, March.
    2. Daniel Steele & Edda Bild & Cynthia Tarlao & Catherine Guastavino, 2019. "Soundtracking the Public Space: Outcomes of the Musikiosk Soundscape Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-38, May.
    3. Jorge H. Amorim & Magnuz Engardt & Christer Johansson & Isabel Ribeiro & Magnus Sannebro, 2021. "Regulating and Cultural Ecosystem Services of Urban Green Infrastructure in the Nordic Countries: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Huiyun Peng & Xiangjin Li & Tingting Yang & Shaohua Tan, 2023. "Research on the Relationship between the Environmental Characteristics of Pocket Parks and Young People’s Perception of the Restorative Effects—A Case Study Based on Chongqing City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Rong Fan & Junxi Fan & Jiayu Song & Kaiyuan Li & Wenli Ji, 2021. "Naturalness in the City: Demographic Groups’ Differences in Preference for Deciduous Landscape," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-21, July.
    6. Zelin Zhang & Xiaomin Tang & Yun Wang, 2023. "Evaluation of the Intergenerational Equity of Public Open Space in Old Communities: A Case Study of Caoyang New Village in Shanghai," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-26, July.
    7. Eun-Ok Song & Hye-Young Jang, 2020. "Predictors of Satisfaction with Care Services among Family Members of Older Adult Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-16, May.
    8. Marina García-Llorente & Radha Rubio-Olivar & Inés Gutierrez-Briceño, 2018. "Farming for Life Quality and Sustainability: A Literature Review of Green Care Research Trends in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, June.
    9. Ru Zhang & Yanping Duan & Walter Brehm & Petra Wagner, 2019. "Socioecological Correlates of Park-based Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Comparison of Hong Kong and Leipzig Parks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-14, August.
    10. Shan Lu & Wonseok Oh & Ryozo Ooka & Lijun Wang, 2022. "Effects of Environmental Features in Small Public Urban Green Spaces on Older Adults’ Mental Restoration: Evidence from Tokyo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-22, April.
    11. Aria C. H. Yang & Habib Chaudhury & Jeffrey C. F. Ho & Newman Lau, 2023. "Measuring the Impact of Bedroom Privacy on Social Networks in a Long-Term Care Facility for Hong Kong Older Adults: A Spatio-Social Network Analysis Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-19, April.
    12. Bik C. Chow & Thomas L. McKenzie & Cindy H. P. Sit, 2016. "Public Parks in Hong Kong: Characteristics of Physical Activity Areas and Their Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-16, June.
    13. Maeghan E. James & Emma Jianopoulos & Timothy Ross & Ron Buliung & Kelly P. Arbour-Nicitopoulos, 2022. "Children’s Usage of Inclusive Playgrounds: A Naturalistic Observation Study of Play," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-16, October.
    14. Theresa L. Scott & Ying-Ling Jao & Kristen Tulloch & Eloise Yates & Oliver Kenward & Nancy A. Pachana, 2022. "Well-Being Benefits of Horticulture-Based Activities for Community Dwelling People with Dementia: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-20, August.
    15. Conghui Zhou & Meng Xie & Jin Zhao & Yihuan An, 2022. "What Affects the Use Flexibility of Pocket Parks? Evidence from Nanjing, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-18, August.
    16. Linde Van Hecke & Jelle Van Cauwenberg & Peter Clarys & Delfien Van Dyck & Jenny Veitch & Benedicte Deforche, 2016. "Active Use of Parks in Flanders (Belgium): An Exploratory Observational Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. Dorota Sikora & Małgorzata Kaczyńska, 2022. "The Cultural Ecosystem Services as an Element Supporting Manor Landscape Protection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-33, June.
    18. Clare A. Bartels & Estelle V. Lambert & Marié E. M. Young & Tracy Kolbe-Alexander, 2023. "If You Build It Will They Come? Park Upgrades, Park Use and Park-Based Physical Activity in Urban Cape Town, South Africa—The SUN Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-24, January.
    19. Anita Kwartnik-Pruc & Anna Trembecka, 2021. "Public Green Space Policy Implementation: A Case Study of Krakow, Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    20. Iman Saeedi & Elham Dabbagh, 2021. "Modeling the relationships between hardscape color and user satisfaction in urban parks," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 6535-6552, April.

    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:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:20:p:3808-:d:274803. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.