Conference Agenda
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WR1_1: Abstract presentations: Green Spaces, Sustainability and Health Location: White room 1 Session Chair: Antonina Tcymbal | |
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11:40am - 11:50am
Do co-designed sustainable park improvements produce long-term impacts on physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours? A 7-year natural experimental study in a deprived urban area 1: Department of Geography, School of Education, Environment and Development, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; 2: Manchester Urban Institute, School of Environment, Education and Development, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; 3: School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; 4: Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, Division of Psychology & Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK Background and aim of the study: Creating or improving urban parks is a promising population-level intervention to promote physical activity. However, robust natural experimental evidence is limited, especially examining long-term impacts. We previously showed that co-designed, sustainable park improvements in a deprived UK area increased walking and other wellbeing-related behaviours up to 15 months post-intervention. This natural experimental study examined whether these effects were sustained five years post-intervention (seven years from baseline). Methods: Two comparison sites were matched to two intervention sites. Two additional unchanged nearby sites were included to assess wider neighbourhood trends. Outcomes were assessed using systematic observations at baseline (2018) and five-year follow-up (2025). The primary outcome was the change in the number of people walking. Multilevel negative binomial regression models compared changes between intervention and comparison sites, adjusting for confounders. Intercept surveys examined self-reported outdoor space use at baseline (2019, n=217) and follow-up (2025, n=232). Results: Five years post-intervention, walking at intervention sites increased by 70% relative to comparison sites (IRR=1.70, 95% CI 1.02-2.82). Significant increases were also observed for sedentary behaviour, social interactions, and taking notice of the environment. Observations at unchanged nearby sites suggested effects were not due to wider neighbourhood trends. Intercept surveys showed greater increases in self-reported outdoor space use in the intervention area. Conclusions: Co-designed park improvements can generate long-term increases in walking and other wellbeing-related behaviours in deprived urban areas. Investment in urban green space interventions represents an effective long-term strategy to improve physical activity and reduce health inequalities. | |
