Evaluating the Impact of Improvements in Urban Green Space on Older Adults' Physical Activity and Wellbeing: a Natural Experimental Study

Completed

• Conditions: Physical Activity and Wellbeing
• Interventions: Behavioral: Urban street greening

• Registration Number: NCT03575923
• Lead Sponsor: University of Manchester

Brief Summary

Background: Creating or improving urban green space has the potential to be an effective and sustainable way to increase physical activity and improve other aspects of wellbeing in older adults. However, the size and quality of the existing evidence base is weak. There is particularly a lack of studies on older adults and in the United Kingdom. This study aims to evaluate the effect of four small local street greening intervention projects on older adults' physical activity and wellbeing over a one-year period. The street greening includes tree and flower planting, and artificial tree decorations. These projects are based in a deprived urban neighbourhood in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom.

Methods: Eight unimproved comparison sites were selected to compare with the intervention sites. The researchers will measure physical activity and two other behavioural indicators of wellbeing (Connect: connecting with other people; and Take Notice: taking notice of the environment) using a newly developed observation tool. It is thought that the largest effect of the interventions will be on Take Notice behaviour due to improvements in the aesthetic quality of green space at the intervention sites. Baseline data collection occurred in September 2017 before the interventions were installed in November 2017. Follow-up data collection will be repeated in February/ March 2018 (6 months) and September 2018 (12 months).

Discussion: The present study offers a rare opportunity to evaluate the before-and-after effects of small-scale changes in urban green space, in an understudied population (older adults) and setting (United Kingdom). Although the interventions are expected to have small effects on peoples' behaviour, this study will address key weaknesses in previous studies.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2017-09-04
• Study First Submitted: 2018-06-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-07-02
• Study First Posted: 2018-07-03
• Primary Completion: 2018-09-21
• Study Completion: 2018-09-21
• Status Verified: 2020-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-03-23
• Last Update Posted: 2020-03-24

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1200

Inclusion Criteria

° All individuals (infants, children, teens, adults, older adults) entering the target area during observation periods

Exclusion Criteria

° Any individuals that request their data to be removed from the study

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention site 2	Urban street greening	12 planted trees; bulb planting; artificial tree decorations (string lights)
Intervention site 4	Urban street greening	8 planted trees; bulb planting; artificial tree decorations (string lights, tree socks)
Intervention site 3	Urban street greening	3 planted trees; artificial tree decorations (string lights, tree socks)
Intervention site 1	Urban street greening	2 planted trees; bulb planting

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Take Notice behaviour	12 months	The primary outcome will be a count per observation period of Take Notice behaviour at 12 months. Take Notice behaviour is the primary outcome because the interventions are expected to improve the aesthetic quality of green space by providing visual information of value to users, thus causing more overt appreciation in the intervention sites.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Take Notice behaviour	6 months	The investigators will also assess a count per observation period of Take Notice behaviour at 6 months.
Overall count of older adults	12 months	The secondary outcome will be the overall count of older adults per observation period.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Greater Manchester; 🇬🇧 Multiple Locations, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom