Common measures of green and blue space for built environment, health equity and intervention research: a scoping review

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to describe self-report and audit-based measurement tools of green and blue space used for health equity and intervention research. This scoping review was conducted and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). In March 2022, we performed a literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus. We found 22 papers, six of which used self-report tools and 16 of which relied on audit-based measures to assess green or blue space. These tools measure aspects of blue and green space including accessibility, equipment, and use. The System for Observing Parks and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) was most used followed by the Public Open Space Audit Tool (POST) and the Community Park Audit Tool (CPAT). The priority populations most often studied were residents of low socio-economic status/high disadvantage neighbourhoods, followed by racialized groups and women. This scoping review provides guidance on common measurement tools that can be used by researchers working on green/blue space for health equity and intervention research. No reliable and valid self-report measure was used or available in the literature to examine equity in green/blue space.