The effects of neighbourhood green spaces on mental health of disadvantaged groups: a systematic review

Abstract

Mental disorders affect many different groups around the world, and disadvantaged groups are often more severely affected. Neighbourhood green spaces (GS) can improve mental health, especially in disadvantaged groups. Many countries address social inequality and inequity through GS interventions. However, current evidence shows inconsistencies, which may result from the study site, research design, socio-demographically diverse samples, inclusivity considerations, and the different metrics used to quantify GS exposure and mental health benefits. Few conceptual models explain how neighbourhood greenery can act as a structural intervention. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method and retrieved 5559 documents from eight databases to examine whether neighbourhood GS can modify mental health associations in disadvantaged groups. We found that neighbourhood GS had substantial protective effects on the mental health of disadvantaged groups. However, disadvantaged people are more influenced by GS quality than by other GS exposures, such as GS usage, distance, and accessibility. Improvements in subjective well-being were most pronounced in terms of mental health outcomes. Mechanistically, neighbourhood GS improves mental health mainly through increased social cohesion and, green visibility, and young people receive further benefits from physical activity (PA). These findings offer a comprehensive understanding of the associations and mechanisms between neighbourhood GS and the mental health of disadvantaged groups, addressing health equities that are induced by the unfair distribution of GS, and thus promoting health-oriented environmental planning and policies.