386
Table 17.1 (continued)
Reference
Study design Population
Intervention
Outcome
Bohn-Goldhaum
et al. (2013)
Sydney,
Australia
Quasiexperiment:
controlled,
pre-post
design
2–12 year olds
and their parents
or care givers;
low
socioeconomic
neighbourhood
1 park underwent renovations: new children’s play equipment,
upgrading paths, adding new greenery, lighting and facilities
(e.g., park furniture), green space was created by opening the
adjacent sports field to public use
−ve: No sig. difference between
parks for usage or the number of
children engaging in MVPA at
follow-up. In the intervention park
the number of girls engaging in
MVPA significantly decreased
(p = 0.04) between baseline and
follow-up
Cohen et al.
(2014)
Los Angeles,
CA, USA
Quasiexperiment:
post data only
Residents living
within 0.5 mile
radius of parks;
minority
populations
Creation of 3 pocket parks (0.15–0.32 acres) from vacant lots
and undesirable urban parcels; playground equipment and
benches installed, walking path developed around the perimeter,
all fenced and enclosed by lockable gates (average cost $1 m
per park funded by local non-profit groups)
−ve: Pocket parks were used as
frequently or more often than
playground areas in neighborhood
parks. However, they were vacant
during the majority of observations
Peschardt and
Stigsdotter
(2014)
Copenhagen,
Denmark
Natural
experiment:
pre-post
design
52% male; 88%
Danish
A pocket park (932 m
2
) in a dense urban area was redesigned to
increase seating areas and walking trails
−ve: No sig. change in number of
park users but demographics of
park users changed slightly with
more men, people aged 15–29 and
more educated people using the
park
Droomers et al.
(2015), Gubbels
et al. (2016), 24
most deprived
neighbourhoods,
Netherlands
Quasiexperiment:
controlled,
pre-post
design
Adolescents
(12–15 years) and
adults in severely
deprived
neighbourhoods
Dutch District Approach (five million euros): new public parks
replacing vacant land (n = 9), refurbishing existing parks
(n = 9), n = 6 improving paths, drainage, landscaping, planting
flower bulbs in front yards; constructing wall gardens; greening
streets, developing a greenway
−ve: Intervention areas did not
show more favourable changes in
PA and general health compared to
all the different groups of control
areas for adults
R. F. Hunter et al.
Table 17.1 (continued)
Reference
Study design Population
Intervention
Outcome
Bohn-Goldhaum
et al. (2013)
Sydney,
Australia
Quasiexperiment:
controlled,
pre-post
design
2–12 year olds
and their parents
or care givers;
low
socioeconomic
neighbourhood
1 park underwent renovations: new children’s play equipment,
upgrading paths, adding new greenery, lighting and facilities
(e.g., park furniture), green space was created by opening the
adjacent sports field to public use
−ve: No sig. difference between
parks for usage or the number of
children engaging in MVPA at
follow-up. In the intervention park
the number of girls engaging in
MVPA significantly decreased
(p = 0.04) between baseline and
follow-up
Cohen et al.
(2014)
Los Angeles,
CA, USA
Quasiexperiment:
post data only
Residents living
within 0.5 mile
radius of parks;
minority
populations
Creation of 3 pocket parks (0.15–0.32 acres) from vacant lots
and undesirable urban parcels; playground equipment and
benches installed, walking path developed around the perimeter,
all fenced and enclosed by lockable gates (average cost $1 m
per park funded by local non-profit groups)
−ve: Pocket parks were used as
frequently or more often than
playground areas in neighborhood
parks. However, they were vacant
during the majority of observations
Peschardt and
Stigsdotter
(2014)
Copenhagen,
Denmark
Natural
experiment:
pre-post
design
52% male; 88%
Danish
A pocket park (932 m
2
) in a dense urban area was redesigned to
increase seating areas and walking trails
−ve: No sig. change in number of
park users but demographics of
park users changed slightly with
more men, people aged 15–29 and
more educated people using the
park
Droomers et al.
(2015), Gubbels
et al. (2016), 24
most deprived
neighbourhoods,
Netherlands
Quasiexperiment:
controlled,
pre-post
design
Adolescents
(12–15 years) and
adults in severely
deprived
neighbourhoods
Dutch District Approach (five million euros): new public parks
replacing vacant land (n = 9), refurbishing existing parks
(n = 9), n = 6 improving paths, drainage, landscaping, planting
flower bulbs in front yards; constructing wall gardens; greening
streets, developing a greenway
−ve: Intervention areas did not
show more favourable changes in
PA and general health compared to
all the different groups of control
areas for adults
R. F. Hunter et al.