TY - JOUR
T1 - Neighbourhood green space, social environment and mental health: an examination in four European cities
AU - Ruijsbroek, Annemarie
AU - Mohnen, Sigrid M.
AU - Droomers, Mariël
AU - Kruize, Hanneke
AU - Gidlow, Christopher
AU - Gražulevičiene, Regina
AU - Andrusaityte, Sandra
AU - Maas, Jolanda
AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
AU - Triguero-Mas, Margarita
AU - Masterson, Daniel
AU - Ellis, Naomi
AU - van Kempen, Elise
AU - Hardyns, Wim
AU - Stronks, Karien
AU - Groenewegen, Peter P.
PY - 2017/7
Y1 - 2017/7
N2 - Objectives: This study examines the relationship between neighbourhood green space, the neighbourhood social environment (social cohesion, neighbourhood attachment, social contacts), and mental health in four European cities. Methods: The PHENOTYPE study was carried out in 2013 in Barcelona (Spain), Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom), Doetinchem (The Netherlands), and Kaunas (Lithuania). 3771 adults living in 124 neighbourhoods answered questions on mental health, neighbourhood social environment, and amount and quality of green space. Additionally, audit data on neighbourhood green space were collected. Multilevel regression analyses examined the relation between neighbourhood green space and individual mental health and the influence of neighbourhood social environment. Results: Mental health was only related to green (audit) in Barcelona. The amount and quality of neighbourhood green space (audit and perceived) were related to social cohesion in Doetinchem and Stoke-on-Trent and to neighbourhood attachment in Doetinchem. In all four cities, mental health was associated with social contacts. Conclusions: Neighbourhood green was related to mental health only in Barcelona. Though neighbourhood green was related to social cohesion and attachment, the neighbourhood social environment seems not the underlying mechanism for this relationship.
AB - Objectives: This study examines the relationship between neighbourhood green space, the neighbourhood social environment (social cohesion, neighbourhood attachment, social contacts), and mental health in four European cities. Methods: The PHENOTYPE study was carried out in 2013 in Barcelona (Spain), Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom), Doetinchem (The Netherlands), and Kaunas (Lithuania). 3771 adults living in 124 neighbourhoods answered questions on mental health, neighbourhood social environment, and amount and quality of green space. Additionally, audit data on neighbourhood green space were collected. Multilevel regression analyses examined the relation between neighbourhood green space and individual mental health and the influence of neighbourhood social environment. Results: Mental health was only related to green (audit) in Barcelona. The amount and quality of neighbourhood green space (audit and perceived) were related to social cohesion in Doetinchem and Stoke-on-Trent and to neighbourhood attachment in Doetinchem. In all four cities, mental health was associated with social contacts. Conclusions: Neighbourhood green was related to mental health only in Barcelona. Though neighbourhood green was related to social cohesion and attachment, the neighbourhood social environment seems not the underlying mechanism for this relationship.
KW - Green
KW - Mental health
KW - Neighbourhood
KW - Social environment
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U2 - 10.1007/s00038-017-0963-8
DO - 10.1007/s00038-017-0963-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 28389844
AN - SCOPUS:85017177349
SN - 1661-8556
VL - 62
SP - 657
EP - 667
JO - International Journal of Public Health
JF - International Journal of Public Health
IS - 6
ER -
