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Understanding the pathways between the use of urban green spaces and self-rated health: A case study in Mexico City

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  • Carolina Mayen Huerta

Abstract

In recent decades, extensive research has demonstrated the positive impact of urban green spaces (UGS) on public health through several pathways. However, in the context of Latin America, particularly Mexico City, there remains a notable scarcity of evidence linking UGS use to health outcomes and an insufficient understanding of the pathways or factors underlying these associations. Therefore, this study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the intricate pathways between UGS use and residents’ perceived health in Mexico City, a densely populated urban center. The SEM integrates three key mediators: sentiments towards UGS, UGS quality, and time spent within these spaces. Survey data was collected through an online survey distributed via social media in May 2020 (n = 1,707). The findings indicate a minor yet significant direct link between UGS use and self-reported health (0.0427, p

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  • Carolina Mayen Huerta, 2023. "Understanding the pathways between the use of urban green spaces and self-rated health: A case study in Mexico City," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(12), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0295013
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295013
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