Developing indicators of public open space to promote health and wellbeing in communities. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Villanueva, Karen; Badland, Hannah; Hooper, Paula; Koohsari, Mohammad Javad; Mavoa, Suzanne; Davern, Melanie; Roberts, Rebecca; Goldfeld, Sharon; Giles-Corti, Billie
• Is Part Of: Applied geography. Volume 57(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 112
• Page End: 119
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: Public open space -- Indicators -- Liveability -- Policy -- Health -- Built environment; GIS Geographic Information Systems -- POS Public Open Space -- MAUP Modifiable Unit Area Problem -- SA1 Statistical Area Level 1 -- SA2 Statistical Area Level 2 -- SDH Social Determinants of Health; Geography -- Periodicals; Human geography -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Periodicals; 910
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.12.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-6228

Abstract

Abstract: There is growing interest from policy-makers, practitioners, and academics alike in creating indicators of the built environment to measure progress towards achieving a wide range of policy outcomes, including enhanced health and wellbeing. Public open space (POS) is a built environment feature that is important for health and wellbeing across the life course, and contributes to the liveability of a region. To optimise health and community wellbeing outcomes, there is a need to test different policy standards and metrics to understand which measures are impactful. Identifying the best POS indicators would be useful tools to measure and monitor progress towards achieving a range of policy and health and wellbeing outcomes. Thus, we propose a method to develop POS indicators from a health and wellbeing lens through: 1) developing a framework conceptualising the pathways in which POS influences health and wellbeing outcomes; and 2) using this conceptual framework as a guide to identify upstream policy-relevant indicators of POS that are evidence-based, specific, quantifiable, and measurable across regions. We also highlight methodological issues and challenges in developing these indicators. In doing so, we have identified eleven potential POS spatial measures to test with population health and wellbeing datasets in Australia. However, these methods may be relevant and applicable to other developed countries, and could be modified for use in developing countries. Together, spatial indicators are analytic tools in the policy environment to benchmark and measure neighbourhoods in terms of POS provision, thereby helping to improve neighbourhood liveability and wellbeing, and people's health. Highlights: Public open space contributes to the liveability of a region, and the health and wellbeing of individuals. There is interest in creating built environment indicators to achieve policy outcomes, including health and wellbeing. We have proposed a process to develop evidence-based, quantifiable, and measurable public open space indicators. A conceptual framework mapping the pathways in which public open space influences health and wellbeing outcomes was developed to guide the selection of policy-relevant public open space measures. The next stages involve testing the measures with health and wellbeing outcomes collected in population health datasets. Spatial indicators are useful analytic tools in the policy environment to benchmark and measure neighbourhoods in terms of public open space provision, which can help to plan liveable neighbourhoods and improve people's health and wellbeing.