Family structure and park use among parents.
BACKGROUND
Despite the increasingly diversified family structure in the U.S., little research examines differences in park use between nontraditional and traditional family structures.


OBJECTIVE
This study examines family-structure differences in parent park use. It was hypothesized that working single parents and dual-worker parents have lower levels of park use than parents in two-parent, single-worker families.


METHODS
Data from a 2010 park-use survey in three urban neighborhoods in Minneapolis MN (N=261 parents) were analyzed in 2012. Multiple variables of park use were developed, including recalled measures over the past 3 days and over the past year. Family-structure differences in these variables were examined using multivariate regression analyses.


RESULTS
After controlling for spatial clustering effects and confounding factors, working single parents reported 32.6% (p<0.10) fewer park visits and 62.0% (p<0.05) less time spent in parks in the past 3 days than parents in two-parent, single-worker families. Dual-worker parents did not report fewer park visits in the past 3 days than parents in two-parent, single-worker families, yet the length of time they spent in parks during these visits was 41.5% (p<0.10) less. Family-structure differences in past-year park-use measures were not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
This research shows the importance of including family-structure variables and both recent and longer-term recalled measures of park use in park-use studies. Greater attention to the recreation needs of working single parents and dual-worker parents is needed in descriptive and intervention research aiming to promote park use among families with children.
Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. yingling@umn.edu
Yingling
Y
Fan
Simone A
SA
French
Kirti V
KV
Das
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010290:Parents; D011633:Public Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020954:Single-Parent Family / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population