Experiences of the urban green local environment as a factor for well-being among adults : An exploratory qualitative study in southern Sweden
Weimann, Hanna LU ; Björk, Jonas LU and Håkansson, Carita LU
(2019)
In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
16(14).
- Abstract
The amount and quality of greenness in the local outdoor environment has repeatedly been linked to human well-being. Different types of green areas are likely required in order to meet the various needs of people throughout the course of their lives and with regard to individual social and economic living conditions. The aim of the present study was to increase the understanding of different pathways between green environments, well-being and health. We conducted 16 interviews to explore perceptions and experiences among adults residing in a semi-urban to urban area and derived categories and subcategories from the data using content analysis. We identified six categories; promoting activities, supporting social contacts, stimulating... (More)
The amount and quality of greenness in the local outdoor environment has repeatedly been linked to human well-being. Different types of green areas are likely required in order to meet the various needs of people throughout the course of their lives and with regard to individual social and economic living conditions. The aim of the present study was to increase the understanding of different pathways between green environments, well-being and health. We conducted 16 interviews to explore perceptions and experiences among adults residing in a semi-urban to urban area and derived categories and subcategories from the data using content analysis. We identified six categories; promoting activities, supporting social contacts, stimulating sensory impressions, providing a retreat, offering ways to influence and creating a sense of coherence, and we recognized that the availability to, and contrasts between and maintenance of the environment were experienced as prerequisites for health-promoting properties of the green local environment. The results illustrate a rich variety in potential pathways through which the green local environment may promote well-being. The study highlights the need to plan the local environment from multiple perspectives, as well as carefully considering prerequisites of various kinds in order for the green environment to support health across the life-course.
(Less)
- author
- Weimann, Hanna
LU
; Björk, Jonas
LU
and Håkansson, Carita
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2019-07-02
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Green area, Green space, Interviews, Public health, Urban planning, Well-being
- in
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- volume
- 16
- issue
- 14
- article number
- 2464
- publisher
- MDPI AG
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85070417556
- pmid:31373298
- ISSN
- 1661-7827
- DOI
- 10.3390/ijerph16142464
- project
- Sustainable outdoor living environments – systematic interdisciplinary studies of health effects and impact on social inequalities
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 74ec4409-3d0e-4750-b724-43e736471bf4
- date added to LUP
- 2019-08-30 11:02:13
- date last changed
- 2024-06-11 23:39:55
@article{74ec4409-3d0e-4750-b724-43e736471bf4,
abstract = {{<p>The amount and quality of greenness in the local outdoor environment has repeatedly been linked to human well-being. Different types of green areas are likely required in order to meet the various needs of people throughout the course of their lives and with regard to individual social and economic living conditions. The aim of the present study was to increase the understanding of different pathways between green environments, well-being and health. We conducted 16 interviews to explore perceptions and experiences among adults residing in a semi-urban to urban area and derived categories and subcategories from the data using content analysis. We identified six categories; promoting activities, supporting social contacts, stimulating sensory impressions, providing a retreat, offering ways to influence and creating a sense of coherence, and we recognized that the availability to, and contrasts between and maintenance of the environment were experienced as prerequisites for health-promoting properties of the green local environment. The results illustrate a rich variety in potential pathways through which the green local environment may promote well-being. The study highlights the need to plan the local environment from multiple perspectives, as well as carefully considering prerequisites of various kinds in order for the green environment to support health across the life-course.</p>}},
author = {{Weimann, Hanna and Björk, Jonas and Håkansson, Carita}},
issn = {{1661-7827}},
keywords = {{Green area; Green space; Interviews; Public health; Urban planning; Well-being}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{07}},
number = {{14}},
publisher = {{MDPI AG}},
series = {{International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}},
title = {{Experiences of the urban green local environment as a factor for well-being among adults : An exploratory qualitative study in southern Sweden}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16142464}},
doi = {{10.3390/ijerph16142464}},
volume = {{16}},
year = {{2019}},
}