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Natural Environments—Healthy Environments? An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship between Greenspace and Health

Author

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  • Sjerp de Vries

    (Alterra, Green World Research, Department of Landscape and Spatial Planning, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Robert A Verheij

    (National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Postbus 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands)

  • Peter P Groenewegen
  • Peter Spreeuwenberg

Abstract

Are people living in greener areas healthier than people living in less green areas? This hypothesis was empirically tested by combining Dutch data on the self-reported health of over 10 000 people with land-use data on the amount of greenspace in their living environment. In the multilevel analysis we controlled for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, as well as urbanity. Living in a green environment was positively related to all three available health indicators, even stronger than urbanity at the municipal level. Analyses on subgroups showed that the relationship between greenspace and one of the health indicators was somewhat stronger for housewives and the elderly, two groups that are assumed to be more dependent on, and therefore exposed to, the local environment. Furthermore, for all three health indicators the relationship with greenspace was somewhat stronger for lower educated people. Implications for policymaking and spatial planning are discussed briefly.

Suggested Citation

  • Sjerp de Vries & Robert A Verheij & Peter P Groenewegen & Peter Spreeuwenberg, 2003. "Natural Environments—Healthy Environments? An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship between Greenspace and Health," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 35(10), pages 1717-1731, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:35:y:2003:i:10:p:1717-1731
    DOI: 10.1068/a35111
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Klaas R. Westerterp, 2001. "Pattern and intensity of physical activity," Nature, Nature, vol. 410(6828), pages 539-539, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. English, Jennifer & Wilson, Kathi & Keller-Olaman, Sue, 2008. "Health, healing and recovery: Therapeutic landscapes and the everyday lives of breast cancer survivors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 68-78, July.
    2. Shanaka Herath & Johanna Choumert & Gunther Maier, 2015. "The value of the greenbelt in Vienna: a spatial hedonic analysis," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(2), pages 349-374, March.
    3. Sandifer, Paul A. & Sutton-Grier, Ariana E. & Ward, Bethney P., 2015. "Exploring connections among nature, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health and well-being: Opportunities to enhance health and biodiversity conservation," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 1-15.
    4. Kaowen Grace Chang & William C. Sullivan & Ying-Hsuan Lin & Weichia Su & Chun-Yen Chang, 2016. "The Effect of Biodiversity on Green Space Users’ Wellbeing—An Empirical Investigation Using Physiological Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-15, October.
    5. Matthew Dennis & David Barlow & Gina Cavan & Penny A. Cook & Anna Gilchrist & John Handley & Philip James & Jessica Thompson & Konstantinos Tzoulas & C. Philip Wheater & Sarah Lindley, 2018. "Mapping Urban Green Infrastructure: A Novel Landscape-Based Approach to Incorporating Land Use and Land Cover in the Mapping of Human-Dominated Systems," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-25, January.
    6. Luca Battisti & Lauranne Pille & Thomas Wachtel & Federica Larcher & Ina Säumel, 2019. "Residential Greenery: State of the Art and Health-Related Ecosystem Services and Disservices in the City of Berlin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.
    7. Amirafshar Vaeztavakoli & Azadeh Lak & Tan Yigitcanlar, 2018. "Blue and Green Spaces as Therapeutic Landscapes: Health Effects of Urban Water Canal Areas of Isfahan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-20, November.
    8. Bertram, Christine & Rehdanz, Katrin, 2015. "The role of urban green space for human well-being," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 139-152.
    9. Somajita Paul & Harini Nagendra, 2017. "Factors Influencing Perceptions and Use of Urban Nature: Surveys of Park Visitors in Delhi," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-23, April.
    10. Dennis, M. & James, P., 2016. "Site-specific factors in the production of local urban ecosystem services: A case study of community-managed green space," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 208-216.
    11. Minseo Kim & Christoph D. D. Rupprecht & Katsunori Furuya, 2018. "Residents’ Perception of Informal Green Space—A Case Study of Ichikawa City, Japan," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-20, September.
    12. Bernd Pölling & Marcus Mergenthaler, 2017. "The Location Matters: Determinants for “Deepening” and “Broadening” Diversification Strategies in Ruhr Metropolis’ Urban Farming," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-19, July.
    13. Gillian Ramsay & Rachel Dodds & Daniela Furtado & Yana Mykhayletska & Anna Kirichenko & Mana Majedian, 2017. "The Barriers to Millennials Visiting Rouge Urban National Park," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-14, May.
    14. Jones & McDermott, 2015. "Linking environmental management to health outcomes: a case study of the emerald ash borer," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(17), pages 1409-1414, November.
    15. Vujcic, Maja & Tomicevic-Dubljevic, Jelena, 2018. "Urban forest benefits to the younger population: The case study of the city of Belgrade, Serbia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 54-62.
    16. Ghimire, Ramesh & Ferreira, Susana & Green, Gary T. & Poudyal, Neelam C. & Cordell, H. Ken & Thapa, Janani R., 2017. "Green Space and Adult Obesity in the United States," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 201-212.
    17. Bo-Wei Zhu & Jia-Rui Zhang & Gwo-Hshiung Tzeng & Shan-Lin Huang & Lei Xiong, 2017. "Public Open Space Development for Elderly People by Using the DANP-V Model to Establish Continuous Improvement Strategies towards a Sustainable and Healthy Aging Society," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-29, March.
    18. van den Berg, Agnes E. & Maas, Jolanda & Verheij, Robert A. & Groenewegen, Peter P., 2010. "Green space as a buffer between stressful life events and health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1203-1210, April.
    19. Richardson, Elizabeth A. & Mitchell, Richard, 2010. "Gender differences in relationships between urban green space and health in the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 568-575, August.
    20. Dennis, Matthew & James, Philip, 2016. "Considerations in the valuation of urban green space: Accounting for user participation," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(PA), pages 120-129.
    21. Md Amanat Ullah & Seow Ta Wee, 2014. "Property Marketing With Green Environment," International Journal of Management Sciences, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 2(12), pages 580-588.
    22. Maria Beatrice Andreucci & Alessio Russo & Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo, 2019. "Designing Urban Green Blue Infrastructure for Mental Health and Elderly Wellbeing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-14, November.
    23. Christopher B. Riley & Kayla I. Perry & Kerry Ard & Mary M. Gardiner, 2018. "Asset or Liability? Ecological and Sociological Tradeoffs of Urban Spontaneous Vegetation on Vacant Land in Shrinking Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, June.
    24. Zhenhua Zheng & Liu (Lydia) Yang, 2019. "Neighborhood Environment, Lifestyle, and Health of Older Adults: Comparison of Age Groups Based on Ecological Model of Aging," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, April.

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