title: Planning for health: a community-based spatial analysis of park availability and chronic disease across the lifespan.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the spatial relationship between park availability and chronic health conditions (CHCs) across age groups in Kansas City, MO. Multinomial logistic regression examined the association between having a park within one-half mile from home and the likelihood of having 0, 1, or 2 or more CHCs. Among respondents aged 40-59, those without a park within one-half mile from home were more than twice as likely to have 2 or more CHCs compared to respondents that had a park nearby. Parks may be an important protective factor for chronic diseases, especially among middle-aged adults among whom access to neighborhood recreational environments may be particularly important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States. Electronic address: besenyi@email.sc.edu.
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Besenyi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States; Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Kaczynski
authors.affiliation: Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, University of Missouri, United States.
authors.forename: Sonja A Wilhelm
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stanis
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Gustavus Adolphus College, United States.
authors.forename: Ryan D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Bergstrom
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, United States.
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lightner
authors.affiliation: Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, United States.
authors.forename: J Aaron
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hipp
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D011633:Public Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011998:Recreation; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic disease; GIS; Parks; Recreation