Understanding How Green Space Naturalness Impacts Public Well-Being: Prospects for Designing Healthier Cities

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Urban Planning
• Public Health

Background:

• Urbanization presents challenges to urban green spaces (UGSs), impacting environmental quality and public health.
• Existing research highlights UGS importance but lacks focus on naturalness and mental health in developing nations.
• The study addresses the gap by examining UGS naturalness in Brazilian metropolitan areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between the degree of naturalness in urban green spaces and mental health outcomes.
• To assess how varying levels of naturalness in UGSs affect depression, anxiety, and stress.
• To provide evidence for incorporating naturalistic elements in urban planning for mental well-being.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted with 2136 respondents from diverse Brazilian urban regions.
• Welch's ANOVA and Games-Howell post hoc tests were employed for statistical analysis.
• The study analyzed the impact of UGS naturalness on self-reported mental distress levels.

Main Results:

• A significant negative correlation was found between the degree of naturalness in UGSs and mental distress.
• Higher naturalness in urban green spaces was associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.
• The findings indicate that naturalistic UGSs contribute positively to urban residents' mental health.

Conclusions:

• Integrating natural elements into urban planning is crucial for enhancing public health.
• Prioritizing the preservation and creation of naturalistic UGSs can significantly improve mental health outcomes.
• Further research should explore specific natural attributes and cross-cultural applicability.