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Abstract:
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Proximity to a park can better one’s health via increased physical activity, social cohesion, and decreased mental health morbidities. However, an association has been noted between higher park access and higher poverty prevalence in urban areas (Wen et al, 2013). Due to the known association between poverty and crime, it is possible that living near a park in a lower income neighborhood might be correlated with higher incidence of crime, and thus less park use. We examined the association between crime rates in Philadelphia, aggregated from crimes reported by the Police Department, and distance to the nearest park, after accounting for neighborhood sociodemographic features including poverty, race, income, and youth population. Spatiotemporal Poisson models will be fitted at the census tract level to assess whether the association varies across Philadelphia County over time. A significant association between crime rates and proximity to parks could help city leaders implement policies to encourage more park usage and in turn the opportunity for community members to improve their health.
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