Greenspace, urbanity and health: relationships in England.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the association between the percentage of greenspace in an area and the standardised rate of self-reported "not good" health, and to explore whether this association holds for areas exhibiting different combinations of urbanity and income deprivation.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, ecological study in England.


METHODS
All residents of England as at the 2001 Census.


METHODS
Age and sex standardised rate of reporting "not good" health status.


RESULTS
A higher proportion of greenspace in an area was generally associated with better population health. However, this association varied according to the combination of area income deprivation and urbanity. There was no significant association between greenspace and health in higher income suburban and higher income rural areas. In suburban lower income areas, a higher proportion of greenspace was associated with worse health.


CONCLUSIONS
Although, in general, higher proportion of greenspace in an area is associated with better health, the association depends on the degree of urbanity and level of income deprivation in an area. One interpretation of these analyses is that quality as well as quantity of greenspace may be significant in determining health benefits.
Mitchell
Richard
R
Research Unit In Health, Behaviour and Change, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK. Richard.Mitchell@ed.ac.uk
Popham
Frank
F
D004739:England; D004779:Environment Design; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D012423:Rural Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018881:Suburban Health; D014504:Urban Health