Urban public space initiatives and health in Africa: A mixed-methods systematic review

Thondoo Meelan, Ebele R I Mogo, Nnenna Onyemaobi, Toluwalope Ogunro, Damilola Odekunle, Richard Unuigboje, Salimon K. Muyiolu, Damilola Olalekan, Catherine Dominic, Abimbola Thomas, Edwin Ngwa, Okwong Walter, Chimba Sanga, Victor Onifade, Crespo’o Mbe-cho Ndiabamoh, Nfondoh Blanche, Doris Seyinde, Temitope F Ogunjimi, Clarisse Mapa-Tassou, Olanike Maria Buraimoh, Stéphanie S Teguia, Ghazel Mukhtar, Mvendaga P Iorse, Colin Farr, Ayodipupo S Oguntade, Ife Olowoniyi, Lia Chatzidiakou, Louise Foley, Rose Alani, Taibat Lawanson, Felix Assah and Tolu Oni

PLOS Global Public Health, 2024, vol. 4, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: Public space initiatives (PSIs) in African cities can significantly promote health and social well-being, yet their implementation and impact are unknown across the continent. There is a substantial gap in literature on PSIs in African countries, with most studies concentrated in wealthier cities and lacking comprehensive assessments of long-term health impacts. The objective of this study was to synthesise evidence on the typology, location, features, and outcomes of these initiatives as well as the guiding principles that underlie their design and implementation. Employing a mixed-methods model, the study systematically reviews peer-reviewed and grey literature articles, focusing on the types, settings, and outcomes of PSIs. Data is analyzed using the CASP appraisal tool and thematic analysis. We analysed 47 studies, 15 of which were mixed methods, 22 qualitative and 10 quantitative. Sports accounted for 50% of initiatives. 30 of the 47 papers originated from South Africa. Communities viewed initiatives’ wellbeing impacts through social, economic, and ecological lenses, with health being but one dimension. The sustainability of initiatives was often limited by funding, historical marginalization, and competing land uses. Findings underscore the need for more comprehensive, long-term evaluations and cross-sector collaborations to sustain and enhance health-promoting public spaces in African cities.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/artic ... journal.pgph.0003709 (text/html)
https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/artic ... 03709&type=printable (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pgph00:0003709

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003709

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in PLOS Global Public Health from Public Library of Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by globalpubhealth ().