ASSESSMENT OF DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN URBAN GREEN SPACES AND SELF-REPORTED HEALTH A CASE STUDY IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

It is increasingly recognized that urban green spaces (UGS) provide important health benefits for urban dwellers. However, much remains to be understood on the influence of different variables on UGS-health relationships, such as the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of UGS, the scale of analysis, and specific pathways leading to health benefits. To address key knowledge gaps, a dose-response framework was developed to conceptualize the interactions between the dose of UGS, health responses, and the roles of mediators and moderators in these responses. Self-reported mental and general health, and usage pattern and perceived quality of UGS were obtained through a population-level household survey (n=1000) in Singapore, and UGS was measured using a range of metrics in different buffer types and at different buffer sizes around each respondent. Through spatial analysis and regression models, the amount and quality of UGS and their associations with health outcomes were assessed using dose-response curves. The mediating roles of potential mediators were also examined to understand the causal mechanisms. The theoretical and practical significance of the findings were discussed.