title: Disparities in park availability, features, and characteristics by social determinants of health within a U.S.-Mexico border urban area.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine disparities in park availability, features, and characteristics by income and the percentage of foreign-born population within a predominately-Hispanic border community.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study occurred in 2010-2011 in El Paso, Texas. All census tracts (n=112) were categorized as low, medium, or high income and percent foreign-born. The number of parks intersecting each tract was determined using ArcGIS and park features (facilities, amenities) and characteristics (aesthetic features, park and neighborhood quality/safety concerns) were assessed via park audits (n=144). Analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis tests examined differences across income and percent foreign-born tertiles for all park measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The medium income tertile had more parks than the high tertile, and more park facilities than the low or high tertiles, but no differences in park amenities were observed across income groups. As well, none of park availability, facilities, or amenities differed across percent foreign-born tertiles. Finally, parks in the high income tertile had significant fewer park and neighborhood quality/safety concerns and parks in the high percent foreign-born tertile had significantly greater park and neighborhood quality/safety concerns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identifying disparities in park availability, features, and characteristics can aid policymakers and citizens in improving the contribution of parks to community health for all.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, USA.
authors.forename: Amir A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, USA.
authors.forename: Paula B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA. Electronic address: atkaczyn@mailbox.sc.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Kaczynski
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004779:Environment Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008800:Mexico; D011998:Recreation; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety; D064890:Social Determinants of Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States
keywords: Built environment; Environmental justice; Parks; Social determinants of health; U.S.–Mexico border region