Developing a mix-method protocol to assess green space quality for multiage health-related activities

The development of an urban green space (UGS) quality assessment protocol addressing the health-related activities of older adults and children represents a sustainable approach to promoting health and well-being. Although most protocols have been developed for physical activity, few have considered other categories of health-related activities that encompass multiple age groups. This study develops a mixed-method green space for multiage health-related activities (GMHA) protocol to assess UGS quality for older adults, children, and the general population across different health-related activities, including physical activity and social interaction. Five conventional domains of facility, amenity, aesthetics, maintenance, safety, and incivilities audited by systematic observation are integrated with the geospatial domains of natural environments and spatial configuration, supported by unmanned aerial vehicle and space syntax techniques. Seventy UGS samples were tested for interrater reliability via intraclass correlation coefficients. The relative importance of each UGS domain in the protocol was further examined using a spatial autoregressive (SAR) model. Content validity is substantiated by scholarship. Preliminary tests verified quantitative reliability and concurrent validity. SAR results revealed varying associations between UGS domains and multiage health-related activities, highlighting the significance of the environment-individual-activity interaction. GMHA can facilitate targeting UGS quality enhancement across broader contexts and populations to benefit health and well-being.