Is the arrangement of urban green and blue spaces linked to happiness through stronger neighborhood ties?

Details

Urban green-blue spaces (UGBS) can benefit residents’ well-being through multiple pathways. Previous studies have found that their quantity and composition can promote neighborhood social cohesion, which in turn contributes to physical and mental health. Less attention, however, has been paid to how the spatial arrangement of these spaces fits into those relationships.

This survey-based observational study used landscape pattern indexes to characterize the spatial patterns of UGBS. It examined whether neighborhood social cohesion mediated the relationship between those patterns and residents’ well-being, measured as self-rated health (SRH) and happiness. The researchers analyzed data from the 2018 Shandong Provincial Social Survey Questionnaire (SGSS), including 773 selected residents in urban areas, using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM).

The model indicated that neighborhood social cohesion mediated the relationships between UGBS spatial patterns and both SRH and happiness. Aggregation and diversity of UGBS had stronger positive relationships with neighborhood social cohesion than size, complexity, and fragmentation. Aggregation and diversity showed indirect positive associations with happiness and SRH through social cohesion; aggregation also showed a direct positive association with SRH.

By focusing on spatial patterns and neighborhood social cohesion, the study extends discussion of the pathways connecting UGBS, social cohesion, and public health. The study also proposed urban planning strategies to increase the benefits of UGBS in urban areas.