Understanding the relationship between small urban parks and mental health: A case study in Shanghai, China

Abstract

The literature to date has mainly explored the impact on public mental health of green spaces around residential areas, large urban parks, family gardens, blue spaces, national parks, etc., while few studies have examined the association of Small Urban Green Spaces (SUGS) with public mental health. The role, function, and service radius of SUGS in urban people’s lives are quite different from those of general green spaces, and the relationship and mechanism linking general green spaces to mental health cannot be fully applied to small parks. This work was conducted to: 1) investigate the relationship between SUGS and mental health; 2) understand what factors affect mental health; 3) determine what kind of SUGS is more conducive to improving mental health. SUGS’ designs and physical characteristics were evaluated with the Natural Environment Scoring Tool (NEST) and user information for 10 SUGS (1–5 ha) in Shanghai in 2021 was collected via a questionnaire. We developed a multilevel model for exploring the factors affecting mental health from two aspects: the individual level and the park level. This study found that SUGS and mental health were positively associated. In addition to individual–level variables like income, marital status, social cohesion, and use frequency, park–level variables such as usability, aesthetics–natural features, and civilized environment are also conducive to improving mental health, while entertainment facilities in SUGS have a negative association with mental health. There was no evidence that visit frequency, stay time, social cohesion, or physical exercise act as a mediator between park features and mental health. This study provides empirical evidence for the positive correlation between SUGS and mental health and presents a means of promoting public mental health with efficient SUGS planning and management.