TY - JOUR
T1 - Inequalities in residential nature and nature-based recreation are not universal: A country-level analysis in Austria
AU - Fian, Leonie
AU - White, Mathew
AU - Thaler, Thomas
AU - Arnberger, Arne
AU - Elliott, Lewis R.
AU - Friesenecker, Michael
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/7
Y1 - 2023/7
N2 - Evidence suggests that residential nature, e.g., greenness around the home, and nature-based recreation, e.g., visits to specific natural locations, are beneficial for health and well-being. However, several studies report that residential access is lower among socio-economically disadvantaged communities, potentially exacerbating health inequalities. We explored this issue in Austria, a relatively rural and mountainous country that also contains several cities, including the capital Vienna with around 2 million citizens. Data were drawn from a representative survey of the adult population across all nine Austrian regions (N = 2258) and explored socio-demographic predictors of residential green and blue space (using satellite data on surrounding greenness and distance to rivers and lakes), and visit frequencies to 12 different urban and rural green/blue environments. In contrast to most findings elsewhere, which usually focus on relatively specific locations (e.g., cities), we found little evidence of socio-economic inequalities in residential green/blue space at the whole country level. Further, although frequent visits to specific environments were less likely among, e.g., people with lower vs. higher education, other typically disadvantaged groups, e.g., those self-identifying as belonging vs. not belonging to an ethnic minority, reported more visits to e.g., urban parks and rivers. Findings suggest that inequalities in nature exposure may not be universal when considered at a country level.
AB - Evidence suggests that residential nature, e.g., greenness around the home, and nature-based recreation, e.g., visits to specific natural locations, are beneficial for health and well-being. However, several studies report that residential access is lower among socio-economically disadvantaged communities, potentially exacerbating health inequalities. We explored this issue in Austria, a relatively rural and mountainous country that also contains several cities, including the capital Vienna with around 2 million citizens. Data were drawn from a representative survey of the adult population across all nine Austrian regions (N = 2258) and explored socio-demographic predictors of residential green and blue space (using satellite data on surrounding greenness and distance to rivers and lakes), and visit frequencies to 12 different urban and rural green/blue environments. In contrast to most findings elsewhere, which usually focus on relatively specific locations (e.g., cities), we found little evidence of socio-economic inequalities in residential green/blue space at the whole country level. Further, although frequent visits to specific environments were less likely among, e.g., people with lower vs. higher education, other typically disadvantaged groups, e.g., those self-identifying as belonging vs. not belonging to an ethnic minority, reported more visits to e.g., urban parks and rivers. Findings suggest that inequalities in nature exposure may not be universal when considered at a country level.
KW - Green space
KW - Blue space
KW - Inequalities
KW - Nature exposure
KW - Austria
KW - Neighbourhood nature
KW - Recreational visits
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85162826981&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127977
DO - 10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127977
M3 - Article
SN - 1618-8667
VL - 85
JO - Urban Forestry & Urban Greening
JF - Urban Forestry & Urban Greening
M1 - 127977
ER -