Urban green spaces (UGS) have been linked with a series of benefits for the environment, and for the physical health and well-being of urban residents. This is of great importance in the context of the aging of modern societies. However, UGS have different forms and characteristics that can determine their utilization. Common elements in UGS such as the type of vegetation and the type of surface are surprisingly understudied in regard to their relationship with the type of activity undertaken in UGS. This paper aims to explore the relationship between landscape diversity and the type of surface with the time spent and the physical activity intensity performed by seniors. To do so, this study uses GPS tracking data in combination with accelerometer data gathered from 63 seniors residing in Barcelona, Spain. Results showed that senior participants spent little time inside the analyzed UGS and sedentary behaviors (SBs) were more common than physical activities (PAs). The presence of pavement surfaces positively influenced the total time spent in UGS while gravel surfaces were negatively associated with time spent in active behaviors. The provision of well-defined and maintained paved areas and paths are some key infrastructures to be considered when designing UGS for overall urban residents and, especially, when aiming to potentiate the access for senior visitors.
Urban areas are continuously growing, and densification is a frequent strategy to limit urban expansion. This generally entails a loss of green spaces (GSs) and an increase in noise pollution, which has negative effects on health. Within the research project RESTORE (Restorative potential of green spaces in noise-polluted environments), an extended cross-sectional field study in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, is conducted. The aim is to assess the relationship between noise annoyance and stress (self-perceived and physiological) as well as their association with road traffic noise and GSs. A representative stratified sample of participants from more than 5000 inhabitants will be contacted to complete an online survey. In addition to the self-reported stress identified by the questionnaire, hair cortisol and cortisone probes from a subsample of participants will be obtained to determine physiological stress. Participants are selected according to their dwelling location using a spatial analysis to determine exposure to different road traffic noise levels and access to GSs. Further, characteristics of individuals as well as acoustical and non-acoustical attributes of GSs are accounted for. This paper presents the study protocol and reports the first results of a pilot study to test the feasibility of the protocol.
Urban areas are constantly growing, and densification is a common strategy to limit settlement expansion. However, this leads to loss of green spaces (GSs) and increasing noise pollution, which is detrimental to public health. Within a research project that aims at elucidating the stress-easing
potential of green spaces in noise-polluted environments and the mediating and/or moderating role of annoyance, an extended cross-sectional field study will be performed in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. In total, 5000 participants will be contacted in three waves, during which an online
survey will be carried out followed by a visit to a subsample at home to collect hair cortisol probes. Participants of this study were selected according to the characteristics of their residences (stratified by accessibility to GSs and noise exposure). Further, traits of individuals in addition
to acoustic and non-acoustic attributes of GSs are accounted. Thus, the association of noise annoyance, perceived stress and long-term physiological stress responses among residents exposed to different road traffic noise levels and with different grades of access to GSs are studied. In this
contribution, the study protocol and first results of a pilot study with 256 participants will be shown.
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