Public perceptions of the health benefits of green spaces in urban Ghana

Recent years have witnessed a growth in research on urban green spaces given their significance to human wellbeing and environmental management. This paper explores the perceived health benefits of urban green areas by drawing on the experiences of 95 participants sampled from three urban communities in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. It is a qualitative study employing a cross-sectional design. The paper argues that participants' perceptions straddle physical and non-physical dimensions of health. From the physical perspective, the participants revealed that green spaces improved physical activity and reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure. The non-physical health benefits included improved attention, reduced stress and positive emotions such as happiness. The findings of this paper call for broad-based multi-sectoral approach to managing green spaces in urban Ghana.

Automated summary

This paper examines the health benefits of urban green spaces, based on the experiences of 95 participants from three urban communities in Kumasi, Ghana. The findings show that green spaces have positive impacts on both physical and non-physical health, including improving physical activity, reducing cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure, enhancing attention, reducing stress, and promoting positive emotions such as happiness. The paper suggests a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach to managing green spaces in urban Ghana.