The Use of Urban Parks by Older Adults in the Context of Perceived Security

Kinga Kimic and Paulina Polko
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Kinga Kimic: Department of Landscape Architecture, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska Street 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Paulina Polko: Security Studies Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences, WSB University, Cieplaka Street 1c, 41-300 Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-20

Abstract: The perception of urban greenery is determined by many aspects, including the personal security of different groups of city dwellers. The objective of this study was to investigate if there are differences between the sense of security of older adults and other groups of urban park users, and which factors play an important role in the evaluation of personal security and thus determine the use (or not) of parks. A survey questionnaire was administrated to a sample of randomly selected park users in Poland ( n = 394), including seniors ( s = 69). The results show statistically significant differences in security perception between respondents under the age of 60 and those over the age of 60 in the case of all questioned factors. At the same time, all of them are important for a sense of security in older adults. This knowledge is crucial for designing more inclusive and age-friendly urban parks, which should meet the needs and expectations of older adults and encourage them to engage in more activity.

Keywords: urban greenery; older adults; perceived security; fear factors; age-friendly parks; active-friendly parks; physical activity; inclusiveness; Poland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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