14 THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF PARKS AND THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACTS Use of Mental Health Services Some evidence suggests green space influences the usage of mental health services. Parks and green space have been noted as important parts of a well-functioning mental health system (Buckley and Brough 2017; Hosie et al. 2015). Communities with higher levels of green space and tree cover have lower usage of mental health services and treatments, controlling for demographics and economic status (Nutsford, Pearson, and Kingham 2013; Taylor et al. 2015). An analysis of street tree coverage in the United Kingdom associated a per unit increase in trees per km of street with a decrease of 1.18 prescriptions per thousand population, a relatively small but significant relationship (Taylor et al. 2015). A study of green space density and proximity and anxiety/mood disorder treatments across 3,149 small-area units (similar to census blocks) in New Zealand indicated that both green space measures were associated with fewer treatments (Nutsford et al. 2013). There is extensive research on the economic impact of reducing mental health service use (Hosie et al. 2015; Lambert et al. 2015),4 so these findings, although not conclusive, could have implications for the economic health equity benefits of park spaces. In Buckley and Brough’s (2017) review of the literature connecting parks and mental health, they offer a framework for evaluating economic value of parks on mental health. The framework includes three pathways that might yield economic mental health benefits: reduction in mental health service use, increases to productivity, and reductions in antisocial behavior. Functioning and Productivity As people experience poor mental health and general stress, their productivity is also affected. The literature available for review focuses on occupational stress and productivity, but these factors also likely affect personal productivity (Sauter and Murphy 1995). Several international studies have linked access to green space, whether through physical presence or views, to reduced stress levels. A study of office workers in Seoul, South Korea, found that those who had natural view from their windows had lower stress levels and higher job satisfaction. A case study in Belgrade, Serbia, found that the installation of a park within a business district had a direct impact on stress relief. The frequency, duration, and activity of open space usage reduced the stress levels and stress-related experiences of employees in the workplace as recorded by a self-reported questionnaire. Open space, including greenery and outdoor space, fostered overall improvements to employee health and well-being (Maric et al. 2021).
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