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Exploring the impact of green spaces on the mental well-being of Chania residents

Liana Athina

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Summary

The intensive urbanization of recent decades has brought about significant changes in citizens’ lifestyles, intensifying the pressures exerted on mental health. Although the modern urban environment offers substantial opportunities for development, it is accompanied by increased challenges concerning mental well-being. In this context, urban green spaces, such as parks and gardens, are recognized as important factors in alleviating stress and enhancing overall quality of life, providing combined environmental, psychological, and social benefits. International literature documents a positive correlation between accessibility to green spaces and the improvement of mental health. However, there is a clear research gap regarding the understanding of how the urban population interacts with green spaces and integrates their use into daily life, as well as the systematic utilization of mental health measurement tools, such as the short version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Furthermore, studies are even fewer in the Greek urban context, especially in smaller cities with distinctive physiogeographic and cultural characteristics, such as Chania.The present study aims to address these gaps by examining the contribution of urban green spaces to mental health within the specific spatial and social context of Chania. The research was based on the collection of primary data through structured questionnaires, aiming to capture the frequency of visits to green spaces, the perceived quality of these spaces, as well as the mental well-being levels of the participants.For the data analysis, the existence of statistically significant associations between demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and mental health indicators was initially investigated using the Chi-square test (Χ²). Subsequently, multinomial and ordinal regression methods were applied to gain an in-depth understanding of these relationships and to highlight the key factors influencing mental well-being in the studied urban environment.The study’s findings reveal a positive association between active interaction with green spaces and the enhancement of mental health, confirming tendencies observed internationally while simultaneously providing new insights into the Greek urban context. Furthermore, the research highlights the need for more systematic integration of green infrastructure in urban planning and the development of policies that promote equitable access to high-quality, functional, and safe green spaces.

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