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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Vikki Houlden
This is the authors' accepted manuscript of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by Sage Publications , 2021.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
Exposure to nature is thought to benefit mental health and wellbeing. However, many studies consider greenspace as a single entity, which overlooks the potential significance of the various forms of greenspace, and natural greenspaces in particular. This study was designed to investigate the association between different types of greenspace and mental wellbeing. Drawing wellbeing and socioeconomic data from the Annual Population Survey (2012–2015), and shapefiles from the Greenspace Information for Greater London group, the amount of greenspace accessible within a 300 m walk of individual’s postcodes was calculated, and categorised according to type. Spatial Error Models were used to account for spatial patterns in the data. Natural greenspace was significantly associated with improved life satisfaction (B = 0.028, p < 0.001) and happiness (B = 0.023, p = 0.019) scores. The spatial autoregressive parameter (𝜆λ) was small but significant (p < 0.001), implying slight second-order spatial variation in the model. These results imply that natural areas may be more important for hedonic mental wellbeing than other greenspaces. Future research is needed on exploring causal relationships between exposure to greenspace and mental wellbeing outcomes.Exposure to nature is thought to benefit mental health and wellbeing. However, many studies consider greenspace as a single entity, which overlooks the potential significance of the various forms of greenspace, and natural greenspaces in particular. This study was designed to investigate the association between different types of greenspace and mental wellbeing. Drawing wellbeing and socioeconomic data from the Annual Population Survey (2012–2015), and shapefiles from the Greenspace Information for Greater London group, the amount of greenspace accessible within a 300 m walk of individual’s postcodes was calculated, and categorised according to type. Spatial Error Models were used to account for spatial patterns in the data. Natural greenspace was significantly associated with improved life satisfaction (B = 0.028, p < 0.001) and happiness (B = 0.023, p = 0.019) scores. The spatial autoregressive parameter (𝜆λ) was small but significant (p < 0.001), implying slight second-order spatial variation in the model. These results imply that natural areas may be more important for hedonic mental wellbeing than other greenspaces. Future research is needed on exploring causal relationships between exposure to greenspace and mental wellbeing outcomes.
Author(s): Houlden VH, de Albuquerque JP, Weich S, Jarvis S
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science
Year: 2021
Volume: 48
Issue: 4
Pages: 655-670
Print publication date: 01/05/2021
Online publication date: 18/11/2019
Acceptance date: 02/10/2019
Date deposited: 27/11/2019
ISSN (print): 2399-8083
ISSN (electronic): 2399-8091
Publisher: Sage Publications
URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/2399808319887395
DOI: 10.1177/2399808319887395
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