Urban—Rural Health Differences and the Availability of Green Space

Abstract

It is argued that urban—rural health differences, which are found in many studies, may be at least partially associated with the availability of green space. Until recently there was only limited evidence from experimental research for this relationship, but recent large-scale epidemiological work found new evidence for the association between urban—rural health differences and availability of green space. It is argued that this would fit in with the theories of the classic urban sociologists Wirth and Milgram and the theories of environmental psychologists like Kaplan and Kaplan. The availability of new evidence and the fit into the classic theories would also justify renewed attention for green space in urban planning.