{
  "abstract": "Introduction Using green space improves health and well-being. However, there are many barriers to green space use, including poor health. Evidence is lacking on how health-related barriers to green space differ by chronic health condition. This study investigates health-related barriers to green space use, chronic health conditions and sociodemographic characteristics.Methods We assessed health-related barriers to green space use using Natural England’s People and Nature Survey. Data from 5 months of the nationally representative survey of English adults (aged 16+) were used (n=10 415), collected during November 2020–March 2021. To assess relationships between reporting of health-related barriers to using green space, an individual’s chronic health conditions and sociodemographic characteristics, structural equation modelling was used (n=201).Results Respondents with progressive illnesses or physical disabilities had a higher likelihood of reporting multiple (four) health-related barriers as important compared with respondents with arthritis or diabetes (both had no barriers that they were more likely to report). For example, respondents with physical disabilities (32%) and progressive illnesses (31%) had an increased likelihood of reporting lack of disabled facilities as an important barrier to using green space compared with those with other conditions. Those with progressive illnesses (34%) had a particularly higher likelihood of reporting having no one to go with/help as an important barrier to using green space (p=0.001). Both physical health-related (eg, fatigue) and place-based (eg, poorly maintained sites) factors are barriers to green space use for individuals reporting a chronic condition.Conclusions The results suggest that those with physical disabilities and progressive illnesses would benefit most from reducing place-based and support barriers, such as a lack of disabled facilities and no one to go with/help. By improving the suitability of green spaces using this evidence, barriers to green space would be reduced for all users, which may improve the quality of the space.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Hannah Burnett"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Jonathan R Olsen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Sarah E Rodgers"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Richard Mitchell"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Investigating health-related barriers to green space use, chronic health conditions and sociodemographic characteristics: a structural equation modelling approach",
  "uid": "3ba06249-ecca-5179-8401-b3a5d0715932"
}