title: The relationship of green space, depressive symptoms and perceived general health in urban population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between green space proximity, use of green space and depressive symptoms and perceived general health among a random sample men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of a population-based sample of 6,944 45-72 year old Kaunas city residents. Self-reported questionnaires provided information on sociodemographic variables, health behaviours, depressive symptoms and poor and very poor perceived general health. Residential proximity to green spaces was defined as living less than 300 m, within interval of 300-999 m, and equal or more than 1 km from a park. The use of the park was divided into two categories: no park use or use <4hrs/week and use of the park ≥4 h/week. The study received approval from the Kaunas Regional Research Ethics Committee. Multiple logistic regression assessed the associations controlling for confounding variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of depressive symptoms and poor and or very poor perceived general health was higher in women than in men. The association between the use of the park and residential proximity to the park revealed that women living >300 m from a green space and who used the space ≥4 h/week showed higher odds 1.92 (1.11-3.3) and 1.68 (0.81-3.48) of depressive symptoms and poor and very poor perceived general health as compared to those who used the park <4 hrs/week and residential proximity was >300 m.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study confirmed an association between use of the green space, residential proximity, and depressive symptoms and poor and very poor perceived general health among women only.
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania regina.reklaitiene@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reklaitiene
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grazuleviciene
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Audrius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dedele
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Virviciute
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Jone
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vensloviene
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Abdonas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamosiunas
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Migle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baceviciene
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luksiene
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sapranaviciute-Zabazlajeva
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Ricardas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radisauskas
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Gailute
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernotiene
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bobak
authors.affiliation: Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain, Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain, CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Spain.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuijsen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D004779:Environment Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Depressive symptoms; green space proximity; perceived general health; urban population