The influence of urban green areas on health: a review

Abstract

This article offers a narrative review of the scientific evidence on the health benefits of urban green spaces, as documented in journals indexed in Scopus within the last decade. The main objective of the study was to investigate the influence of urban green spaces on individuals, based on peer-reviewed scientific sources to better understand the role that nature plays in providing health benefits to human health and overall well-being. Our ultimate goal is to advance knowledge in this field and encourage further exploration in this area of research. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of safeguarding and conserving nature as a fundamental source of human health. It has also emphasized the significance of developing healthy and sustainable urban environments. Urban green spaces such as parks, alleys, and street trees play a pivotal role in shaping the urban landscape. Not only do they enhance the aesthetic appeal of the city, but they also have a profound impact on the well-being of its residents. Spending time in these green areas within the cityscape has been shown to reduce stress levels, enhance psychological well-being, promote physical activity, and lower the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. We identified 1521 scientific articles published in the last decade focusing on the green zones of urban areas, urban ecology, and the process of urbanization. Then we selected and reviewed 26 articles that specifically addressed the impact of green zones on the health of city residents. Our findings reveal a significant increase in research pertaining to green spaces within urban environments over the past decade. Notably, studies published in peer-reviewed journals indexed in the Scopus database have originated from countries such as China, the USA, Germany, Great Britain, Australia, and Italy. Surprisingly, there were no studies from Central Asia on these topics within the Scopus database. By expanding research efforts to include Central Asian countries, we can further improve our understanding of the association between green spaces and public health within urban settings.