The relative effects of access to public greenspace and private gardens on mental health
The relative effects of access to public greenspace and private gardens on mental health
Although the beneficial effects of urban greenspace on mental health are widely accepted, the comparative effects of public greenspace and private (domestic) gardens on mental health are poorly understood. Here, an assessment is provided of the effect of local public greenspace on a person’s mental health for those with and without a private garden in Britain. Individual level data on private garden ownership and mental health status are obtained from a nationally representative survey (the British Household Panel Survey). A combination of statistical matching and regression models are used to account for individual and area-level confounders and to test for interactions. Individuals with (n = 4,454) and without (n = 338) private gardens are analysed separately and their predicted probability of poor mental health in response to public greenspace presence is compared. Results show that the predicted positive effect of having a private garden varies depending on gender and age. Specifically, having a private garden substantially reduces the maximum predicted probability of poor mental health for men regardless of their access to local public greenspace. Whereas, for women, the presence of local public greenspace results in comparable mental health for those with and without a garden. Women without access to local public greenspace, having a private garden reduces the predicted probability of poor mental health later in life. Given the results, it is recommended that the provision of private gardens is considered within greenspace guidance and policy, which is currently dominated by the provision of, or access to, public greenspaces.
Counterfactual, Deprivation, Domestic gardens, Mental wellbeing, Statistical matching
Collins, Rebecca M.
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Smith, Dianna
e859097c-f9f5-4fd0-8b07-59218648e726
Ogutu, Booker O.
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Brown, Kerry A.
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Eigenbrod, Felix
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Spake, Rebecca
48533e8c-6292-414a-a124-3884273f5f06
December 2023
Collins, Rebecca M.
2ecdff66-29af-40e5-94aa-4750e6f3fe1b
Smith, Dianna
e859097c-f9f5-4fd0-8b07-59218648e726
Ogutu, Booker O.
4e36f1d2-f417-4274-8f9c-4470d4808746
Brown, Kerry A.
c281b42c-b7b0-4ca5-9d77-5008a0f2bcc5
Eigenbrod, Felix
43efc6ae-b129-45a2-8a34-e489b5f05827
Spake, Rebecca
48533e8c-6292-414a-a124-3884273f5f06
Collins, Rebecca M., Smith, Dianna, Ogutu, Booker O., Brown, Kerry A., Eigenbrod, Felix and Spake, Rebecca
(2023)
The relative effects of access to public greenspace and private gardens on mental health.
Landscape and Urban Planning, 240, [104902].
(doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104902).
Abstract
Although the beneficial effects of urban greenspace on mental health are widely accepted, the comparative effects of public greenspace and private (domestic) gardens on mental health are poorly understood. Here, an assessment is provided of the effect of local public greenspace on a person’s mental health for those with and without a private garden in Britain. Individual level data on private garden ownership and mental health status are obtained from a nationally representative survey (the British Household Panel Survey). A combination of statistical matching and regression models are used to account for individual and area-level confounders and to test for interactions. Individuals with (n = 4,454) and without (n = 338) private gardens are analysed separately and their predicted probability of poor mental health in response to public greenspace presence is compared. Results show that the predicted positive effect of having a private garden varies depending on gender and age. Specifically, having a private garden substantially reduces the maximum predicted probability of poor mental health for men regardless of their access to local public greenspace. Whereas, for women, the presence of local public greenspace results in comparable mental health for those with and without a garden. Women without access to local public greenspace, having a private garden reduces the predicted probability of poor mental health later in life. Given the results, it is recommended that the provision of private gardens is considered within greenspace guidance and policy, which is currently dominated by the provision of, or access to, public greenspaces.
Text
1-s2.0-S0169204623002219-main
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 21 September 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 26 September 2023
Published date: December 2023
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
Supported by a scholarship (awarded to R.M.C.) co-funded by the University of Southampton and the ERC Starting Grant ‘SCALEFORES’ (grant no. 680176) awarded to F.E.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)
Keywords:
Counterfactual, Deprivation, Domestic gardens, Mental wellbeing, Statistical matching
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 482487
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/482487
ISSN: 0169-2046
PURE UUID: 39222882-a280-498b-9763-55c96b9e7930
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Date deposited: 09 Oct 2023 16:43
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:09
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Author:
Rebecca M. Collins
Author:
Kerry A. Brown
Author:
Rebecca Spake
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