Influence of Features of Green Spaces on Health and Well-Being: Case Study of Shanghai, China

Abstract

Approaching nature is one of the common demands from citizens. City parks are the most available urban green space (UGS) that provide spaces for people to enjoy nature, which increases their degree of health and releases mental stress. This study will concentrate on the question of what features of UGSs influence the final overall health and well-being of the respondents. This study will use social investigation and statistical analysis. The results show that the majority of green space users are middle income and well-educated. The key features of the green spaces that influenced the overall health and well-being of the respondents was the accessibility to lawns or water bodies. In addition, fitness facilities could increase the overall effect, but this effect was not as strong as the accessibility to lawns and water bodies. Greenways and walkways provide isolated special spaces that increase calm, relaxation, vigor, fitness, and proactivity. Low levels of noise indicate a quiet environment, which increased the mental well-being of visitors. In addition, vegetation diversity has positive benefits on the mental well-being of visitors. For the use of UGS, the distance between the park and the city center is the most decisive factor on the visit frequency and the length of each visit. Long distances result in low visit frequencies and each visit lasts a longer time. This research is valuable and could guide the future design and planning of UGS.