Relationship between greenery and the health of Madrid's citizens

Abstract

The increase in parks will be one of the interventions in future cities to reduce pollution and enhance the quality of life. However, it is crucial to identify the variables within parks that have the most significant impact on well-being and health, given the substantial limitation of urban space. Different parks in Madrid were analyzed in this study, and simultaneously with the recording of environmental variables, their users were surveyed. The study's hypothesis aimed to determine whether the activities carried out in the parks have a greater impact on health than their mere presence. The quality of parks is an influential factor in these relationships; therefore, the quality of the acoustic environment was considered. The results indicate that the quality of the soundscape is a significant factor in the development of various activities and the overall perception of the park, making it a variable to consider in the design and improvement of the quality of green spaces. Greenery visibility is significantly related to the perception of health status, but this relationship is less intense than that provided by frequent activities in these green spaces such as walking and relaxation.