Can urban green space cure homesickness? Case study on China poverty alleviation migrants in Anshun, Guizhou

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With the implement of China's ex-situ poverty alleviation resettlement (ESPAR) policy, nearly 10 million rural population have relocated with a better living condition in a short period of time, most of which have migrated to urban areas. The living environment and lifestyle of the poverty alleviation migrants (PAMs) have undergone dramatic changes, the resulting mental health problems may seriously affect their social integration and well-being. In particular, homesickness is a prevalent mental problem among the PAMs that demand prompt attention. Research indicates that longing for natural environment is one of the major causes of homesickness among rural out-migrants. As the main natural environment in cities, urban green space has been proven by numerous studies to have a positive effect on residents' mental health in various aspects, including reducing anxiety, relieving fatigue, and fostering perseverance. However, few studies have focused on the influence of urban green space on the mental health of the PAMs, especially on alleviating their homesickness syndrome. Using the data collected from interviews and questionnaire survey in the PAMs’ resettlement sites in Anshun, Guizhou, which has undertaken a heavy poverty alleviation task, this study examined the relationship between the physical activity, environment, function of urban green space, and the severity of PAMs’ homesickness, meanwhile paying attention to the impacts caused by different socio-demographic characteristics. The results show that urban green space is strongly associated with alleviating PAMs’ homesickness, and that all three factors play a positive role. Neighborhood green space is used the most, but suburban green space seems to provide better alleviation of homesickness. This study sheds lights on the critical role of urban green space for promoting PAMs' mental health, and aims to provide scientific reference to the planning and improvement for future migrant resettlements and urban green space.