Collective efficacy in Denver, Colorado: Strengthening neighborhoods and health through community gardens

Community gardens are viewed as a potentially useful environmental change strategy to promote active and healthy lifestyles but the scientific evidence base for gardens is limited. As a step towards understanding whether gardens are a viable health promotion strategy for local communities, we set ou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & place 2009-12, Vol.15 (4), p.1115-1122
Main Authors: Teig, Ellen, Amulya, Joy, Bardwell, Lisa, Buchenau, Michael, Marshall, Julie A., Litt, Jill S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Built environment
Collective efficacy
Colorado
Community development
Community gardens
Community Participation - methods
Community Participation - psychology
Efficacy
Environmental change
Gardening - organization & administration
Gardens
Group Processes
Health
Health promotion
Health Promotion - methods
Health technology assessment
Humans
Life styles
Neighbourhoods
Residence Characteristics
Scientific evidence
Social organization
Social processes
U.S.A
Urban Health
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Summary:Community gardens are viewed as a potentially useful environmental change strategy to promote active and healthy lifestyles but the scientific evidence base for gardens is limited. As a step towards understanding whether gardens are a viable health promotion strategy for local communities, we set out to examine the social processes that might explain the connection between gardens, garden participation and health. We analyzed data from semi-structured interviews with community gardeners in Denver. The analysis examined social processes described by community gardeners and how those social processes were cultivated by or supportive of activities in community gardens. After presenting results describing these social processes and the activities supporting them, we discuss the potential for the place-based social processes found in community gardens to support collective efficacy, a powerful mechanism for enhancing the role of gardens in promoting health.
ISSN:1353-8292
1873-2054
DOI:10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.06.003