Influence of Spatial Accessibility and Environmental Quality on Youths’ Visit to Green Open Spaces (GOS) in Akure, Nigeria

Although a regular visit to green open spaces has been recommended in curbing some sedentary lifestyle-associated health challenges, not much has been performed to uncover the factors that promote visits to such spaces in urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa. This research investigated the spatial acce...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2023-09, Vol.15 (17), p.13223
Main Authors: Ubani, Obinna Justice, Alabi, Micheal Oloyede, Chiemelu, Emmanuel Ndukwe, Okosun, Andrew, Sam-Amobi, Chinwe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Cities
Climate change
Connectivity
Environmental quality
Geographic information systems
Green design
Overweight
Physical fitness
Population
Public health
Surveys
Sustainable development
Teenagers
Urban areas
Youth
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Summary:Although a regular visit to green open spaces has been recommended in curbing some sedentary lifestyle-associated health challenges, not much has been performed to uncover the factors that promote visits to such spaces in urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa. This research investigated the spatial accessibility and environmental quality factors that influence visits to green open spaces (GOS) by youths in the core area of Akure, Southwest Nigeria. The data were derived from a survey of 400 respondents aged between 18 and 35 years, ArcGIS software, v. Pro 20, and geographic information system (GIS) and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis. The results revealed that the spatial accessibility predictors of visits to GOS among the youths were their age, street integration, social integration, and proximity of GOS to their homes, while the environmental quality predictors were the presence of a gymnasium in GOS and public facilities around such spaces. These findings are instructive in noting that to ensure social justice in access to GOS and the associated social and ecosystem services they offer, the planning, design, and management of green spaces should take cognizance of these predictors in meeting the needs of the youths who constitute a larger percentage of the urban population and thus encouraging them to regularly visit GOS in the study area and beyond.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su151713223