Parks and green areas and the risk for depression and suicidal indicators

Abstract

Objectives: There is increasing evidence that parks and green areas have beneficial effects on mental health; however, most studies have been limited to a certain or small geographic area. This study investigated whether parks and green areas were associated with the risk for depression or suicidal indicators among adults. Methods: We used the 2009 Korean Community Health Survey data (n = 169,029). Residential geographical codes were used to determine the amount of parks and green areas in each administrative district. Results: The median amount of parks and green areas was 19.73 m2 per capita. Compared with adults living the highest amount of parks and green areas (1st quartile), those living in regions with the lowest amount of parks and green areas (4th quartile) had 16–27% greater odds for depression and suicidal indicators, after adjusting for all potential variables. People without moderate physical activity had higher odds for self-reported depression and suicidal ideation than those with moderate physical activity. Conclusions: We observed protective associations between parks and green areas and depression and suicidal indicators. In addition, moderate physical activity may help to lower the risk for depression and suicidal indicators.