IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsoctx/v14y2024i9p168-d1469799.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Urban Parks and Office Workers’ Health: Considering the Influence of Marital Status and Different Qualities of Urban Parks

Author

Listed:
  • Xuanxian Chen

    (School of Housing, Building & Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, USM, Penang 11800, Malaysia)

  • Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali

    (School of Housing, Building & Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, USM, Penang 11800, Malaysia)

  • Aldrin Abdullah

    (School of Housing, Building & Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, USM, Penang 11800, Malaysia)

Abstract

This study addresses the impact of urban parks on the self-rated health of office workers under 40, a demographic experiencing significant increases in depressive symptoms during the pandemic. This study in Baise City, China, aims to fill this gap by exploring the relationships between landscape quality, leisure time spent in parks, place attachment, and self-rated health among 411 office workers aged 18 to 40. Structural equation modeling was used to assess these relationships, and multigroup analysis (MGA) in SmartPLS evaluated differences between subgroups. The findings reveal a strong link between urban park landscape quality and leisure time spent in parks, place attachment, and self-rated health. Although the old-fashioned park showed lower overall performance in the study variables compared to the modern park, it had a stronger relationship between landscape quality and place attachment. Leisure time spent in parks did not directly impact self-rated health but was mediated by place attachment. MGA results indicated that while leisure time in parks positively affected self-rated health for single participants, it had a negative effect for married participants. These results underscore the importance of tailoring urban park design and management to accommodate the varying needs of different demographics. This research provides new insights into enhancing office workers’ self-rated health through environmental design and supports the objectives of the Healthy China strategy and Sustainable Development Goal 11.

Suggested Citation

  • Xuanxian Chen & Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali & Aldrin Abdullah, 2024. "Urban Parks and Office Workers’ Health: Considering the Influence of Marital Status and Different Qualities of Urban Parks," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:14:y:2024:i:9:p:168-:d:1469799
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/9/168/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/9/168/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Netta Achdut & Tehila Refaeli, 2020. "Unemployment and Psychological Distress among Young People during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Psychological Resources and Risk Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-21, September.
    2. Chongxian Chen & Weijing Luo & Haiwei Li & Danting Zhang & Ning Kang & Xiaohao Yang & Yu Xia, 2020. "Impact of Perception of Green Space for Health Promotion on Willingness to Use Parks and Actual Use among Young Urban Residents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Brenda B. Lin & Chia-chen Chang & Erik Andersson & Thomas Astell-Burt & John Gardner & Xiaoqi Feng, 2023. "Visiting Urban Green Space and Orientation to Nature Is Associated with Better Wellbeing during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-12, February.
    4. Congying An & Jinglan Liu & Qiaohui Liu & Yuqi Liu & Xiaoli Fan & Yishen Hu, 2022. "How Perceived Sensory Dimensions of Forest Park Are Associated with Stress Restoration in Beijing?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-17, January.
    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. Becky Leshem & Gabriela Kashy-Rosenbaum & Miriam Schiff & Rami Benbenishty & Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, 2023. "Continuous Exposure to Terrorism during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model in the Israeli Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Zihan Kan & Mei-Po Kwan & Mee Kam Ng & Hendrik Tieben, 2022. "The Impacts of Housing Characteristics and Built-Environment Features on Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-19, April.
    3. Zhenrao Cai & Dan Gao & Xin Xiao & Linguo Zhou & Chaoyang Fang, 2023. "The Flow of Green Exercise, Its Characteristics, Mechanism, and Pattern in Urban Green Space Networks: A Case Study of Nangchang, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, March.
    4. Yang Yang & Zhifang Wang & Guangsi Lin, 2021. "Performance Assessment Indicators for Comparing Recreational Services of Urban Parks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-21, March.
    5. Line I. Berge & Marie H. Gedde & Bettina S. Husebo & Ane Erdal & Camilla Kjellstadli & Ipsit V. Vahia, 2021. "Age and Emotional Distress during COVID-19: Findings from Two Waves of the Norwegian Citizen Panel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.
    6. Katherine-Ka-Wai Lam & Ka-Yan Ho & Cynthia-Sau-Ting Wu & Man-Nok Tong & Lai-Ngo Tang & Yim-Wah Mak, 2022. "Exploring Factors Contributing to the Smoking Behaviour among Hong Kong Chinese Young Smokers during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    7. Cathaysa Martín-Blanco & Montserrat Zamorano & Carmen Lizárraga & Valentin Molina-Moreno, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on the Sustainable Development Goals: Achievements and Expectations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-25, December.
    8. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Margarita Kokkinaki & Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2023. "Keep Calm and Go Out: Urban Nature Exposure, Mental Health, and Perceived Value during the COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    9. Palmer, Ashley N. & Patel, Mansi & Sledge, Shellye L. & Kitchens, Katherine & Cassano, Kaiden, 2023. "COVID-19 impacts on youth and young adult workforce development programs: A local perspective," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    10. Catherine Vacher & Nicholas Ho & Adam Skinner & Jo Robinson & Louise Freebairn & Grace Yeeun Lee & Frank Iorfino & Ante Prodan & Yun Ju C. Song & Jo-An Occhipinti & Ian B. Hickie, 2022. "Optimizing Strategies for Improving Mental Health in Victoria, Australia during the COVID-19 Era: A System Dynamics Modelling Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-14, May.
    11. Llinos Haf Spencer & Mary Lynch & Gwenlli Mair Thomas & Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, 2023. "Intergenerational Deliberations for Long Term Sustainability," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Marina Cervera & Simon Bell & Francesc Muñoz & Himansu S. Mishra & Lora E. Fleming & James Grellier & Glòria Carrasco-Turigas & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen & Cristina Vert & Mireia Gascon, 2021. "A Transdisciplinary Approach to Recovering Natural and Cultural Landscape and Place Identification: A Case Study of Can Moritz Spring (Rubí, Spain)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    13. Roberto Carlos Dávila Morán & Juan Manuel Sánchez Soto & Henri Emmanuel López Gómez & Flor Carolina Espinoza Camus & Justiniano Felix Palomino Quispe & Lindomira Castro Llaja & Zoila Rosa Díaz Tavera , 2023. "Work Stress as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-22, March.
    14. Liqing Zhang & Yue Wu, 2022. "Negative Associations between Quality of Urban Green Spaces and Health Expenditures in Downtown Shanghai," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, August.
    15. Arnau Carreño & Mireia Gascon & Cristina Vert & Josep Lloret, 2020. "The Beneficial Effects of Short-Term Exposure to Scuba Diving on Human Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-17, October.
    16. Udomsak Narkkul & Jun Jiet Ng & Apisith Saraluck, 2022. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Female Sexual Function Index and Female Behavioral Changes: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, November.
    17. Alessia Grigoletto & Alberto Loi & Pasqualino Maietta Latessa & Sofia Marini & Natascia Rinaldo & Emanuela Gualdi-Russo & Luciana Zaccagni & Stefania Toselli, 2022. "Physical Activity Behavior, Motivation and Active Commuting: Relationships with the Use of Green Spaces in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, July.
    18. Lina El‐Jahel & Robert Macculloch & Hamed Shafiee, 2023. "How Does Monetary Policy Affect Welfare? Some New Estimates Using Data on Life Evaluation and Emotional Well‐Being," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 55(8), pages 2001-2025, December.
    19. Montserrat Zayas-Costa & Helen V. S. Cole & Isabelle Anguelovski & James J. T. Connolly & Xavier Bartoll & Margarita Triguero-Mas, 2021. "Mental Health Outcomes in Barcelona: The Interplay between Gentrification and Greenspace," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-19, September.
    20. Giuseppe Alessio Platania & Simone Varrasi & Claudia Savia Guerrera & Francesco Maria Boccaccio & Vittoria Torre & Venera Francesca Vezzosi & Concetta Pirrone & Sabrina Castellano, 2024. "Impact of Stress during COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A Study on Dispositional and Behavioral Dimensions for Supporting Evidence-Based Targeted Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-15, March.

    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:jsoctx:v:14:y:2024:i:9:p:168-:d:1469799. 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.