The effects of urban forests on the medical care use for respiratory disease in Korea: a structural equation model approach

Kwang-Soo Lee, Jung-Soo Lee and Jung-Hyun Kwon

International Journal of Public Policy, 2014, vol. 10, issue 4/5, 195-208

Abstract: This study examined the relationship between urban forests and medical care use. A structural equation model was used to test the hypothesis that the extent of urban forest is negatively related to medical care use for respiratory disease, controlling for the effects of degree of air pollution, population, and availability of healthcare providers. AMOS v18 was used for the analysis. Significant negative association (estimates = −0.05, p-value < 0.00) was found between forest extent and medical care use. The results showed that urban areas with larger forests had direct significant effects on medical care use after controlling for factors such as population, providers, and air pollution. Such confirmation of the study hypothesis provided the health policy makers that urban city forests can mediate harmful effects of the external environment and improve health status of residents.

Keywords: medical care use; urban forests; structural equation modelling; SEM; geographic information systems; GIS; respiratory diseases; Korea; air pollution; population; healthcare providers; city forests; health policy; health improvement. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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