Beyond proximity and towards equity: a multidimensional view of urban greenspace access

ABSTRACT

Park access is primarily conceived of as a question of proximity. We sought to develop a multidimensional tool based on a broad theory of green space access to better understand objective and subjective factors that capture varying dimensions of urban green space access that may be associated with its use. We conducted a cross-sectional study in two communities bordering a large park in Baltimore City, Maryland. We randomly selected households for an in-person survey conducted between April to September 2019. Our primary outcome was self-reported number of park visits over the last 30 days. The main independent variables conceptualized park access based on Penchansky and Thomas’ theory of access. Based on 87 respondents, living within a 10-min walk was not associated with park use. Park use was associated with the perception that there were park events that individuals could participate in (adjusted IRR 6.83 [95% CI 2.57, 18.2]) and feeling safe in the park during the day (adjusted IRR 6.26 [95% CI 2.18, 18.0]). Those who reported that living near the park was affordable reported fewer park visits (adjusted IRR 0.53 [95% CI 0.32, 0.86]). Physical proximity was not significantly associated with green space use, but perceptions of safety, programming, and neighborhood affordability were. Our findings highlight the importance of subjective factors as part of a broader theory of park access.

KEYWORDS:

• Green space
• park access
• health equity
• physical activity
• recreation and parks
• urban health

This article is related to:

Research for city practice

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the work of Rebekah Lawrence, MLA in assisting with the GIS calculations and data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [T32 HL007180-43] and the Bloomberg American Health Initiative.

Notes on contributors

Daniel J. Hindman

Daniel Hindman is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research focuses on structural barriers to health equity. He works clinically as an adult primary care physician and a pediatric hospitalist. He and his family live in West Baltimore.

Jessie Chien

Jessie Chien received her MHS at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is currently a doctoral student in Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Her research interests include applying an urban planning lens to race and place-based health disparities by examining relationships between community health and systems of the built environment, such as land use, transportation, and housing.

Craig E. Pollack

Craig E. Pollack is the Katey Ayres Endowed Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, School of Nursing, and School of Medicine. His research focuses on the connection between housing, neighborhood environments, and health. He works clinically as a primary care physician.