Is self-reported park proximity associated with perceived social disorder? Findings from eleven cities in Latin America

• Published in: Landscape and urban planning 2022-03, Vol.219, p.None-None, Article 104320
• Main Authors: Moran, Mika R., Rodríguez, Daniel A., Cortinez-O'Ryan, Andrea, Jaime Miranda, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Built environment; Crime; Equity; Informal neighborhoods; Latin America; Parks; Research Paper; Social disorder
• ISSN: 0169-2046; 1872-6062; 0169-2046
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104320

•Social disorder is higher in informal neighborhoods and where street infrastructure is poor.•Park proximity is associated with less/more social disorder in formal/informal neighborhoods.•Park proximity is associated with less social disorder in streets with good infrastructure.•Park proximity is associated with more social disorder in streets with poor infrastructure.•Investment in neighborhood/street infrastructure can maximize their restorative benefits of parks. Parks and greenspaces can enhance personal health in various ways, including among others, through psychological restoration and improved well-being. However, under certain circumstances, parks may also have adverse effects by providing isolated and hidden spaces for non-normative and crime-related activities. This study uses a survey conducted by the Development Bank of Latin America in a cross-sectional representative sample of 7,110 respondents in eleven Latin-American cities. We examine associations between self-reported park proximity with perceived social disorder (drug use/sales, gangs, prostitution and assault and/or crime), and whether these associations are modified by neighborhood characteristics (informal neighborhoods, poor street-lighting, abandoned buildings, illegal dumping). High self-reported park proximity was associated with lower perceptions of social disorder, but these associations were no longer significant following adjustment for neighborhood characteristics. Significant interactions were observed between park proximity and neighborhood characteristics suggesting that the likelihood of perceiving social disorder increases with high park proximity in informal neighborhoods and in the presence of certain neighborhood characteristics, such as poor street-lighting, abandoned buildings, and illegal dumping in residential streets. The differential associations between reported park proximity and perceived social disorder in different living environments highlight the importance of supportive social and physical infrastructure to maximize the restorative benefits of parks in all urban areas.