Development of a park and green space service classification to support park prescribing in Korea

Park Prescription-the formalized referral of patients to park- and nature-based activities by healthcare providers-has gained increasing attention as a strategy for chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Despite the expansion of such programs, a structured classification of park and green space services remains lacking, limiting the practical applicability of Park Prescribing. This issue is particularly important in Korea, where the institutional foundation for implementing Park Prescribing remains limited. Accordingly, this study aimed to develop a classification that conceptualizes parks and green spaces as prescribable service resources and to examine its content validity. A preliminary item set was derived through a review of major international Park Prescribing programs and Park Assessment and Observation Tools. Two rounds of modified Delphi survey were subsequently conducted with a panel of 20 experts, comprising 10 Park and Green Space experts and 10 Healthcare experts. The finalized classification comprises three Domains-Park and Green Space Characteristics, Park and Green Space Spatial Components, and Park and Green Space Activities-and includes 11 Major Items, 36 Middle-Level Items, and 101 Sub-Items. Key items were identified as Accessibility and User Convenience within the Characteristics domain, Pedestrian Space and Rest and Interaction Space within the Spatial Components domain, and Physical Health Activities and Passive Recreation Activities within the Activities domain. The proposed classification provides a foundational framework for linking park and green space services to Park Prescribing. It may support the future implementation of Park Prescribing and serve as a basis for health-oriented park planning and management.