<p>Urban parks are vital health promotion environments associated with physical and mental health advantages. However, urbanization has increased the presence of proximal harmful exposures, such as noise pollution, that can diminish or negate these benefits. Noise, defined as unwanted or harmful sound, elicits a physiological stress response and is cited to affect vulnerable population groups disproportionately. Our pilot study aimed to explore noise pollution in urban parks in Providence, Rhode Island (RI), considering spatial attributes, socioeconomic poverty patterns, and park user perspectives. We examined noise levels in 13 urban parks in two city regions using environmental exposure assessment methodology and geospatial and sentiment analyses. Findings showed that maximum A-weighted sound levels ranged from 53.81 decibels to 81.95 decibels, with average sound levels varying based on spatial classification region and socioeconomic poverty level of the area. Park user satisfaction differed significantly based on park region (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). The results highlight the subjectivity of noise exposure and show potential spatial disparities. Parks with higher average sound levels were rated more positively compared to parks with lower average sound levels. By integrating objective sound level data with park user perceptions, this study provides valuable insights into the subjectivity of noise exposure. Our findings will inform future research characterizing noise exposure and perceptions to identify environmental inequities in urban park environments and user experiences. Combining spatial analytic approaches and novel techniques to capture the subjectivity of noise exposure is key to advancing urban planning policies and environmental health initiatives committed to healthy park spaces.</p>

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A spatial exploration of relationships between noise exposure, poverty and visitor satisfaction in Providence parks: A pilot study

  • Ugoji Nwanaji-Enwerem,
  • Jue Yang,
  • Kevin M. Mwenda,
  • Erica D. Walker,
  • Diana Grigsby-Toussaint

摘要

Urban parks are vital health promotion environments associated with physical and mental health advantages. However, urbanization has increased the presence of proximal harmful exposures, such as noise pollution, that can diminish or negate these benefits. Noise, defined as unwanted or harmful sound, elicits a physiological stress response and is cited to affect vulnerable population groups disproportionately. Our pilot study aimed to explore noise pollution in urban parks in Providence, Rhode Island (RI), considering spatial attributes, socioeconomic poverty patterns, and park user perspectives. We examined noise levels in 13 urban parks in two city regions using environmental exposure assessment methodology and geospatial and sentiment analyses. Findings showed that maximum A-weighted sound levels ranged from 53.81 decibels to 81.95 decibels, with average sound levels varying based on spatial classification region and socioeconomic poverty level of the area. Park user satisfaction differed significantly based on park region (p < 0.001). The results highlight the subjectivity of noise exposure and show potential spatial disparities. Parks with higher average sound levels were rated more positively compared to parks with lower average sound levels. By integrating objective sound level data with park user perceptions, this study provides valuable insights into the subjectivity of noise exposure. Our findings will inform future research characterizing noise exposure and perceptions to identify environmental inequities in urban park environments and user experiences. Combining spatial analytic approaches and novel techniques to capture the subjectivity of noise exposure is key to advancing urban planning policies and environmental health initiatives committed to healthy park spaces.