TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of crime type and location on park use behavior
AU - Marquet, Oriol
AU - Ogletree, S. Scott
AU - Hipp, J. Aaron
AU - Suau, Luis J.
AU - Horvath, Candice B.
AU - Sinykin, Alexander
AU - Floyd, Myron F.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research received partial funding from the US Forest Service, Southern Research Station (agreement 16-JV-11330144-065). We thank the Greensboro Police Department for providing the crime data for the analysis. No copyrighted material was used in this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Introduction Crime and the fear of crime can be a barrier to park use, and locations of crimes can have varied effects. Unsafe areas in or around the park, around the residence, or along the route to the park can alter park use behavior. Our study aimed to examine associations between objective measures of types and location of crimes and park use behaviors. Methods In 2013 we surveyed a sample (N = 230) of residents in Greensboro, North Carolina, about park use, with responses matched to objective crime and spatial measures. We measured all crimes and violent crimes near home, near the closest park, and along the shortest route between home and park. By using ordered and binary logistic modeling, we examined the relationships between the locations of crime and park use and duration of park visit, park rating, and never visiting parks. Additional models included distance to the closest park. Results Increased crime in parks and near home was associated with fewer park visits. Greater violent crime in all locations was related to fewer park visits. Park ratings were lower for parks with high violent crime rates. Conclusion Given the importance of parks as settings for outdoor recreation and physical activity, crime may have a detrimental effect on physical activity and, therefore, public health.
AB - Introduction Crime and the fear of crime can be a barrier to park use, and locations of crimes can have varied effects. Unsafe areas in or around the park, around the residence, or along the route to the park can alter park use behavior. Our study aimed to examine associations between objective measures of types and location of crimes and park use behaviors. Methods In 2013 we surveyed a sample (N = 230) of residents in Greensboro, North Carolina, about park use, with responses matched to objective crime and spatial measures. We measured all crimes and violent crimes near home, near the closest park, and along the shortest route between home and park. By using ordered and binary logistic modeling, we examined the relationships between the locations of crime and park use and duration of park visit, park rating, and never visiting parks. Additional models included distance to the closest park. Results Increased crime in parks and near home was associated with fewer park visits. Greater violent crime in all locations was related to fewer park visits. Park ratings were lower for parks with high violent crime rates. Conclusion Given the importance of parks as settings for outdoor recreation and physical activity, crime may have a detrimental effect on physical activity and, therefore, public health.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088885720&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.5888/PCD17.190434
DO - https://doi.org/10.5888/PCD17.190434
M3 - Article
C2 - 32730200
AN - SCOPUS:85088885720
SN - 1545-1151
VL - 17
JO - Preventing chronic disease
JF - Preventing chronic disease
M1 - 434
ER -
