Document Type

Article

Abstract

ObjectivesLimited access to high-quality green spaces could contribute to growing rates of chronic diseases and unhealthy behaviors. Public parks provide numerous benefits for population well-being. However, past research has shown mixed results regarding the association between proximal parks and residents’ physical and mental health. This study examined the relationship between diverse elements of park access and quality and multiple health outcomes.


Methods

Seventy-three unique parks within 70 census tracts in 4 cities in South Carolina were analyzed. Data about 7 aspects of park quality (transportation access, facility availability, facility quality, amenity availability, park aesthetics, park quality concerns, neighborhood quality concerns) were collected via on-site observations using the Community Park Audit Tool. Health data for each tract (obesity, no leisure time physical activity, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, poor mental health) were collected from the CDC PLACES dataset. Linear regression analyses examined the association between 10 park access and quality metrics and 8 health metrics, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics.


Results

All associations were in the unexpected direction except 1 relationship involving mental health. Specifically, positive associations were found between the number of parks and obesity, the number of parks and no leisure time physical activity, transportation access and obesity, and transportation access and high blood pressure. As concerns about neighborhood quality increased, poor mental health status worsened.


Conclusions

This study provides valuable information for public health professionals and researchers. Further research is needed to expand on and elucidate these findings.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.24.325

Rights

© 2025 The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

APA Citation

Pellizzari, J., Shariati, F. H., & Kaczynski, A. T. (2025). The relationship between park access and quality and various health metrics in a metropolitan area in South Carolina using the CDC places dataset. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 58(2), 208–217.https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.24.325

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