Abstract:

【Objective】 As a natural factor in urban spaces, urban park greenspace potentially benefits human health. By studying the attributes of park greenspace and the usage pattern of visiting parks, the effects of urban park greenspace on the physical and mental health of the population were discussed. 【Method】 Xiaoyaojin Park in Hefei City, China, was used as the research site, and park users were investigated by stratified sampling, using the duration of use as the stratification principle. Personal characteristics of park users and how they use the park were obtained by self-designed questionnaires; physical and mental health status was evaluated using the Health Survey SF-12 Brief; the attributes of park greenspace were evaluated using the Analytic Hierarchy Process method and questionnaires; and descriptive statistical analysis, variance analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. 【Result】 Multiple linear regression analysis of physical health revealed that the length of park use each time [the value of variable non-standardized coefficient (b) = 0.922, P < 0.01], the frequency of park use per week (b = 0.770, P < 0.05), ecological attributes of the park (b = 1.353, P < 0.01), service attributes of the park (b = 2.057, P < 0.01), and a esthetic attributes of the park (b = 0.375, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with park users’ physical health scores. The contribution of the service attributes [standardized partial regression coefficient (b') = 0.437, P < 0.01] to users’ physical health was higher than that of ecological (b' = 0.276, P < 0.01) and a esthetic (b' = 0.081, P < 0.05) attributes. Multiple linear regression analysis of mental health revealed that the length of park use per visit (b = 1.402, P < 0.01), ecological attributes of the park (b = 1.763, P < 0.01), service attributes of the park (b = 0.791, P < 0.05), and a esthetic attributes of the park (b = 3.398, P < 0.01) were positively correlated with the scores of park users’ mental health. The contribution of the a esthetic attributes (b' = 0.453, P < 0.01) to users’ physical health was higher than that of the ecological (b' = 0.139, P < 0.05) and service (b' = 0.077, P < 0.01) attributes. 【Conclusion】 Park greenspace improves the physical and mental health of the population. The higher the quality of the attributes of the greenspace, the higher the promotion effect on physical and mental health. Health benefits differ by usage pattern. Increasing the frequency of park use and increasing the time spent using the park benefit physical health. However, increasing the frequency of using the park was not observed to improve mental health. Increasing the time of use at the park and using the park between 9:00 and 12:00 am could make the mental health of park users more healthy.

Key words: urban park, park attributes, using pattern, physical health, mental health, Hefei City