Greenspace quality and proximity are stronger predictors of mental health than quantity or access
Greenspace quality and proximity are stronger predictors of mental health than quantity or access
As evidence grows for the mental health benefits of urban greenspaces, understanding which specific characteristics matter most is critical for guiding effective urban design and policy. This study compares multiple measures of greenspace exposure–focusing on proximity, quantity, access and quality–to determine which best predict changes in mental health. Individual-level mental health data were obtained from a nationally representative longitudinal survey in Great Britain (British Household Panel Survey, 1991–2008). The sample was restricted to individuals who moved neighbourhoods (n = 492), and a Before-After-Control-Intervention (BACI) study design was applied. Individual repeated measures from before and after the move were used to quantify the effects of changes in greenspace exposure on the probability of poor mental health, here defined using GHQ-12 with a score ≥ 3. Generalised linear mixed models were developed and their relative performance compared to identify the best-performing models. Among seven models tested, models incorporating local bird species richness (proxy for greenspace quality) and proximity to local public greenspace provided the best fit, outperforming models based on quantity and access. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the effect of multiple greenspace measures on mental health using a BACI design specifically within an urban context. Our findings suggest the potential importance of urban greenspace quality and proximity in shaping mental health outcomes compared to measures of quantity and access. However, these findings are caveated by a temporal disconnect between exposure and outcome data; we therefore recommend that future studies validate these findings using temporally-aligned data. Based on this study's findings, we recommend that future environmental planning and public health strategies prioritise these characteristics to maximise the mental health benefits of urban greenspaces.
Air pollution, Deprivation, Greenspace Characteristics, Longitudinal, Mental wellbeing
Collins, Rebecca
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Brown, Kerry A.
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Ogutu, Booker
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Smith, Dianna
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Eigenbrod, Felix
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Spake, Becks
1cda8ad0-2ab2-45d9-a844-ec3d8be2786a
Collins, Rebecca
2ecdff66-29af-40e5-94aa-4750e6f3fe1b
Brown, Kerry A.
a978f85f-9d55-4e5e-98f4-b08bd9352f8d
Ogutu, Booker
4e36f1d2-f417-4274-8f9c-4470d4808746
Smith, Dianna
e859097c-f9f5-4fd0-8b07-59218648e726
Eigenbrod, Felix
43efc6ae-b129-45a2-8a34-e489b5f05827
Spake, Becks
1cda8ad0-2ab2-45d9-a844-ec3d8be2786a
Collins, Rebecca, Brown, Kerry A., Ogutu, Booker, Smith, Dianna, Eigenbrod, Felix and Spake, Becks
(2026)
Greenspace quality and proximity are stronger predictors of mental health than quantity or access.
Landscape and Urban Planning, 273, [105660].
(doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105660).
Abstract
As evidence grows for the mental health benefits of urban greenspaces, understanding which specific characteristics matter most is critical for guiding effective urban design and policy. This study compares multiple measures of greenspace exposure–focusing on proximity, quantity, access and quality–to determine which best predict changes in mental health. Individual-level mental health data were obtained from a nationally representative longitudinal survey in Great Britain (British Household Panel Survey, 1991–2008). The sample was restricted to individuals who moved neighbourhoods (n = 492), and a Before-After-Control-Intervention (BACI) study design was applied. Individual repeated measures from before and after the move were used to quantify the effects of changes in greenspace exposure on the probability of poor mental health, here defined using GHQ-12 with a score ≥ 3. Generalised linear mixed models were developed and their relative performance compared to identify the best-performing models. Among seven models tested, models incorporating local bird species richness (proxy for greenspace quality) and proximity to local public greenspace provided the best fit, outperforming models based on quantity and access. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the effect of multiple greenspace measures on mental health using a BACI design specifically within an urban context. Our findings suggest the potential importance of urban greenspace quality and proximity in shaping mental health outcomes compared to measures of quantity and access. However, these findings are caveated by a temporal disconnect between exposure and outcome data; we therefore recommend that future studies validate these findings using temporally-aligned data. Based on this study's findings, we recommend that future environmental planning and public health strategies prioritise these characteristics to maximise the mental health benefits of urban greenspaces.
Text
MS_Accepted_Greenspace_Charateristics_predictors_of_mental_health
- Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 4 April 2026
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 April 2026
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© 2026 The Authors
Keywords:
Air pollution, Deprivation, Greenspace Characteristics, Longitudinal, Mental wellbeing
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Local EPrints ID: 511191
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511191
ISSN: 0169-2046
PURE UUID: 9e1db626-2a71-4aba-9213-1f0ba398e4cc
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Date deposited: 06 May 2026 16:43
Last modified: 07 May 2026 02:06
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Author:
Rebecca Collins
Author:
Kerry A. Brown
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