Park Visits: Who Goes, Why, And How It Affects Health

Jenn Hoskins
30th June, 2025

Park Visits: Who Goes, Why, And How It Affects Health

The spatial intersection of user trajectories with green spaces using a 15-meter GPS buffer allows for the objective identification of visitation events (double circles), providing the foundational data used to classify residents into distinct behavioral groups such as Weekend and Frequent Visitors.

Image adapted from: Park et al. / CC BY (Source)

Key Findings

  • A study in Seoul, South Korea, found that residents who visited urban green spaces mainly on weekends reported the best mental and physical health
  • Both weekend and frequent visitors held more positive views of green spaces, showing that regular engagement fosters appreciation
  • Green space use varied with education levels, suggesting a need for programs to ensure equitable access and benefits for all
Understanding the multiple ways urban green spaces impact individual health and overall quality of life is a significant area for urban planning and public health promotion. Research has consistently shown that exposure to green spaces can improve both physical and mental well-being. For instance, studies have indicated a protective effect of increased access to green space against conditions like anxiety and mood disorders[2]. Beyond just proximity, the act of engaging with these environments, particularly through physical activity, can lead to synergistic benefits such as improved life satisfaction, reduced stress, and positive emotions[3]. Furthermore, the presence of urban green space has been linked to overall happiness, with its relationship often mediated by social support, highlighting its role in fostering community cohesion[4]. Despite this growing body of evidence, a detailed understanding of how people use these spaces and what specific patterns of visitation are most beneficial has been less clear. Addressing this, recent research from Sungkyunkwan University and Northeastern University[1] investigated the relationship between green space visitation patterns and residents' health and perceptions in the Seoul metropolitan area of South Korea. The study aimed to provide a more nuanced view of how urban residents interact with nature in their daily lives. To achieve this, the researchers employed a comprehensive approach, integrating various data sources. They used smartphone Wi-Fi and GPS location data to track actual visitation patterns, combined with survey data to gather information on sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported health, and perceptions of green spaces from 1,715 residents. Green space data, including details about their location and characteristics, were also incorporated. The study categorized urban residents into distinct green space visitation groups: "Non-Visitors," who rarely visited green spaces; "Weekday Visitors," who primarily visited during the week; "Weekend Visitors," who focused their visits on weekends; and "Frequent Visitors," who visited both on weekdays and weekends. To assess the health status of individuals in each group, the researchers used the EQ-5D-5L scale. This is a standardized tool that measures an individual's health-related quality of life across five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Each dimension is rated on a five-level scale, providing a comprehensive picture of both physical and mental health. The findings revealed several important distinctions between these groups. While there were variations in educational background across the groups, with Non-Visitors and Frequent Visitors showing different distributions, the most striking result concerned health outcomes. The "Weekend Visitors" group consistently reported the best mental and physical health, showing a significant difference compared to the "Non-Visitors" group. This suggests that even if visits are less frequent than "Frequent Visitors," the timing of these visits, perhaps allowing for more leisure and relaxation, plays a crucial role in well-being. This aligns with previous findings that emphasize the benefits of physical activity and social interaction in green spaces, which are often more feasible during weekend leisure time[3][4]. Furthermore, perceptions of green space were significantly more positive among "Weekend Visitors" and "Frequent Visitors" compared to "Non-Visitors." This indicates that regular engagement with green spaces, particularly during leisure periods, fosters a greater appreciation for these natural environments. The study’s observation of differences in green space visitation based on educational background also highlights a potential environmental inequality, suggesting a need for targeted environmental education programs and campaigns to encourage broader engagement across all segments of the population. This echoes broader discussions about how socioeconomic factors, like a nation's wealth, can influence the relationship between urban green space and happiness[4]. This research expands upon earlier studies by not just confirming the general benefits of green spaces[2][3] but by segmenting how people actually use them. While previous work highlighted the importance of accessible green spaces within a larger neighborhood[2], this study demonstrates that the pattern of use – specifically, whether visits occur on weekends – can be a key factor in maximizing health benefits. The positive impact observed for weekend visits underscores the value of urban green spaces as venues for leisure, relaxation, and social engagement, which are critical for supporting overall happiness and well-being in urban populations[4]. These results provide valuable insights for urban planners, reinforcing the importance of designing and maintaining high-quality, easily accessible green spaces that cater to diverse usage patterns, ultimately benefiting the health and quality of life for city residents.

EnvironmentHealth

References

Main Study

1) Associations of green space visitation patterns with sociodemographics, health, and perceptions: A cluster analysis using smartphone Wi-Fi and GPS data

Published 27th June, 2025

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325697

Related Studies

2) An ecological study investigating the association between access to urban green space and mental health.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2013.08.016

3) [Benefits of green spaces and physical activity for the well-being and health of people].

https://doi.org/10.4067/S0034-98872022000801095

4) Urban green space and happiness in developed countries.

https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-021-00278-7


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