Neighborhood greenspace visits and mental health
Insights from mobility data across nine U.S. metropolitan areas
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22083508 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sarayu Chandra Mouli (Houston Methodist), Tong Zhang (0000-0003-1637-0666, Case Western Reserve University), Zhuo Chen (0000-0002-5351-3489, Case Western Reserve University), Sanjay Rajagopalan (0000-0001-6669-8163, Case Western Reserve University), Jay E Maddock (0000-0002-1119-0300, Houston Methodist), Khurram Nasir (0000-0001-5376-2269, Houston Methodist), K N Khurram Nasir (Houston Methodist), Weichuan Dong (0000-0002-3981-658X, Houston Methodist, corresponding author), Sadeer Al-Kindi (Houston Methodist) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Pages | 1731243-1731243 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-06 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1731243 |
| PMID | 41725747 |
| OpenAlex | W7128163314 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 14 |
Background Access to greenspace supports mental health, but most studies focus on the presence of greenness rather than actual use. Fewer explore how the association may vary within city boundaries and suburban areas. Objective We examined associations between neighborhood-level greenspace visits and poor mental health across nine U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), adjusting for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), demographics, and social vulnerability, and evaluated spatial heterogeneity. Methods We integrated greenspace visits, CDC PLACES mental health estimates (2023), Social Vulnerability Index (2018), demographics (ACS 2010–2014), and NDVI (2021). Ordinary least squares (OLS) models were conducted for each metro and overall, adjusting for NDVI, SVI themes, and demographics. Multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) assessed spatial variation. Results The sample included 13,152 tracts across nine MSAs (72.5 million residents). Poor mental health prevalence ranged from 12.9% (DC) to 18.7% (Houston), while visits ranged from 11.5 (Houston) to 33.2 (DC). In pooled models, more visits indicated better mental health (β = −0.029; R 2 = 0.62). Metro-specific models showed strongest effects in Houston (β = −0.113; R 2 = 0.716) and Atlanta (β = −0.096; R 2 = 0.634), with weaker results in Philadelphia and DC. MGWR revealed strong urban-core associations in Houston, Atlanta, and Dallas, while peripheral tracts often showed null effects. Conclusions Greenspace engagement, not just presence was linked to lower poor mental health across the metros, though associations varied by neighborhood. Promoting use may improve mental health, but interventions should account for local context and social vulnerability
Mental health · Metropolitan area · Psychological intervention · Social environment · Spatial contextual awareness · Health disparities and outcomes · Urban Green Space and Health · Urban Transport and Accessibility
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| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |