Screening for Park Access during a Primary Care Social Determinants Screen

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Health
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Access to nature and parks is linked to improved pediatric health.
• Understanding how low-income urban families perceive and prioritize park access is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate park access as an unmet need among pediatric patients in a low-income urban health system.
• To identify sociodemographic factors associated with lack of park access.
• To explore the prioritization of park access relative to other social and economic needs.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to adult caregivers of pediatric patients.
• Caregivers identified and prioritized unmet social and economic needs, including park access.
• Univariate and multivariate analyses examined associations between park access and sociodemographics.

Main Results:

• 17% of caregivers identified park access as an unmet need.
• Poverty and lower educational attainment significantly increased the odds of lacking park access.
• Families facing food, housing, or employment insecurity were less likely to prioritize park access.

Conclusions:

• Clinical interventions should consider the socioeconomic adversity faced by low-income families.
• Addressing basic needs may be a prerequisite for prioritizing park access in this population.