In her recently published PhD study, Yijun Zhang examined the relationship between residential green space accessibility (GSA) and adolescents’ mental well-being, and whether the relationship was moderated by sociodemographic factors (sex, ethnicity, neighbourhood deprivation), identities (gender and sexuality minority, disability) and perceived neighbourhood safety.
Yijun’s results showed that perceived neighbourhood safety plays a vital role in the GSA – mental well-being association, with a negative trend in adolescents who reported being less safe in neighbourhoods. Adverse associations of GSA were found in gender and sexuality minority, disabled, Asian and Pacific adolescents, under the condition of not feeling safe in neighbourhoods all the time. The results showed marginalised adolescents tended to feel less safe in neighbourhoods, have lower emotional wellbeing and a higher level of depressive symptoms. Inequalities in GSA for adolescents who lived in most deprived neighbourhoods and adolescents of Māori ethnicity were also found. These findings underscore the need for safe, inclusive green spaces to promote mental health and reduce health inequalities among urban adolescents.
The full paper is freely accessible at this link.
Yijun was supervised by Professor Melody Smith, Dr Jinfeng Zhao, and Associate Professor Suzanne Mavoa.
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