Can green space exposure enhance the health of rural migrants in Wuhan, China? An exploration of the multidimensional roles of place attachment

Abstract

Numerous studies have yielded evidence supporting the beneficial health effects of increased green space exposure (GSE), particularly for urban populations. Nevertheless, the specific impacts of GSE on the health of rural migrants, who are regarded as an environmentally vulnerable group, remain unclear. Taking Wuhan, China, as the typical case, this paper examines the nuanced relationship between the multi-facets of GSE and rural migrants’ physical and mental health and explores the mediating roles of multidimensional place attachment (P-AT), including place dependence (P-DE), place identity (P-ID), and place integration (P-IN), based on multisource data. The results are as follows: (1) Different attributes of GSE produced varying effects on rural migrants’ health. Positive correlations emerged between physical health and the availability and accessibility of green space (GS), while mental health exhibited positive associations with visibility and accessibility. (2) There is a complicated landscape in terms of the mediating effects of P-AT. Specifically, P-DE, P-ID, and P-IN acted as mediators between accessibility and the physical and mental health of rural migrants. Concerning availability's influence on physical health, P-ID, and P-IN served as mediators. P-ID mediated the visibility-mental health relationship. Our research underscores the significance of conceptually decomposing the GSE and P-AT in studies on the environment and the health of rural migrants and their diverse social functions in health promotion from GS. We advocate for tailored strategies by local authorities for the migrant population, including maximizing the opportunities of GSE, promoting the restoration and construction of wild GS, and facilitating the sociality of GS to enhance rural migrants’ place sentiment.