TY - JOUR
T1 - Do persons with low socioeconomic status have less access to greenspace? Application of accessibility index to urban parks in Seoul, South Korea
AU - Heo, Seulkee
AU - Nori-Sarma, Amruta
AU - Kim, Sera
AU - Lee, Jong Tae
AU - Bell, Michelle L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This publication was developed under Assistance Agreement No. RD83587101 awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency to Yale University. It has not been formally reviewed by EPA. Also, the work was supported by Environment Protection Agency (Grant No. FP-91782101-0) Science to Achieve Results Fellowship. EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication. This research also was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01MD012769. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the EPA or National Institutes of Health.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Access to urban greenspace has many benefits such as improved health and social cohesion. If access differs by population, these benefits make access to greenspace an environmental justice issue, but little is known regarding accessibility of parks among different sub-groups in Seoul, South Korea. We explored potential socioeconomic inequities for access to parks in Seoul measuring two park provision metrics: total park area per capita (TPPC), and park accessibility index determined by size and proximity of parks. We assessed correlations between a deprivation index for the 25 Gus (administrative unit equivalent to the US borough) and each park provision metric. Regression analyses were applied for the associations between eight socioeconomic indicators of the 424 Dongs (equivalent to the US neighborhood) and each park provision metric. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in percent elderly (≥65 years) (3.2%) was significantly associated with larger TPPC (1.6 m2/person, 95% CI: 0.8, 2.4). Park accessibility index was associated with more socioeconomic variables than was TPPC. An IQR increase in percent elderly and divorce rates (1.2/1000 population) was associated with increased park accessibility by 3571 km (95% CI: 1103, 6040) and decreased park accessibility by 1387 (95% CI: −2706, −67), respectively. An IQR increase in percentage of the population receiving social low-income support aid (2.2%) was associated with increased park accessibility (reflecting park size and proximity of parks) of residential parks near residential areas by 1568 (95% CI: 15, 3120). Results suggest higher park access for socioeconomically disadvantaged regions. Findings indicate that measures of detailed park access considering spatial proximity and park size may more accurately measure park inequity compared to more basic metrics (e.g. TPPC), which may bias estimation of park inequity by capturing only one characteristic of parks. Detailed park measures should be considered in urban planning and health studies of greenspace.
AB - Access to urban greenspace has many benefits such as improved health and social cohesion. If access differs by population, these benefits make access to greenspace an environmental justice issue, but little is known regarding accessibility of parks among different sub-groups in Seoul, South Korea. We explored potential socioeconomic inequities for access to parks in Seoul measuring two park provision metrics: total park area per capita (TPPC), and park accessibility index determined by size and proximity of parks. We assessed correlations between a deprivation index for the 25 Gus (administrative unit equivalent to the US borough) and each park provision metric. Regression analyses were applied for the associations between eight socioeconomic indicators of the 424 Dongs (equivalent to the US neighborhood) and each park provision metric. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in percent elderly (≥65 years) (3.2%) was significantly associated with larger TPPC (1.6 m2/person, 95% CI: 0.8, 2.4). Park accessibility index was associated with more socioeconomic variables than was TPPC. An IQR increase in percent elderly and divorce rates (1.2/1000 population) was associated with increased park accessibility by 3571 km (95% CI: 1103, 6040) and decreased park accessibility by 1387 (95% CI: −2706, −67), respectively. An IQR increase in percentage of the population receiving social low-income support aid (2.2%) was associated with increased park accessibility (reflecting park size and proximity of parks) of residential parks near residential areas by 1568 (95% CI: 15, 3120). Results suggest higher park access for socioeconomically disadvantaged regions. Findings indicate that measures of detailed park access considering spatial proximity and park size may more accurately measure park inequity compared to more basic metrics (e.g. TPPC), which may bias estimation of park inequity by capturing only one characteristic of parks. Detailed park measures should be considered in urban planning and health studies of greenspace.
KW - Accessibility
KW - Environmental justice
KW - Greenspace
KW - Park provision
KW - Socioeconomic status
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112070327&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/1748-9326/ac12f1
DO - 10.1088/1748-9326/ac12f1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85112070327
SN - 1748-9326
VL - 16
JO - Environmental Research Letters
JF - Environmental Research Letters
IS - 8
M1 - 084027
ER -
