Urban Green Spaces During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Correlational Analysis on Stress and Preferences of Gen Zs and Millennials in Pampanga
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15269548Keywords:
Urban green spaces, Stress, Activities, Perceived Sensory Dimensions, COVID-19 pandemicAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines has caused the urban population to experience high levels of stress and other negative impacts to their wellbeing. Urban green spaces (UGS) are known to promote mental health, given the proper features. This study aimed to describe the usage and identify the preferred characteristics and activities of Gen Zs and millennials when visiting UGS in Pampanga. Online and field surveys used Nystrom’s SCI-93 to identify the stress levels (α = 0.781), the preferred activities were classified using an instrument from China (α = 0.794), and 24 UGS characteristics was classified using the Perceived Sensory Dimensions (PSDs) to identify the preferred characteristics of the participants (α = 0.886). Descriptive analysis revealed that the majority (35.5%) of millennials and Gen Zs of Pampanga seldom visited UGS during the pandemic, and 29% stayed an average of 1 to 2 hours, often in sports and exercise areas (56.1%). Majority or 81% of the participants were found to engage in social and quiet activities, while public participation was least preferred wherein 69.2% mentioned they did not do this during the pandemic. Serene quality of urban green space is found to be the dimension that is most sought after with M = 4.5 using descriptive analysis, while UGS with Culture are least favored (M = 3.42). Correlational analysis found that stress levels are correlated with Refuge (r = 0.390), Nature (r = 0.261), Space (r = 0.256), Prospect (r = 0.251), and Serene (r = 0.213) dimensions. These findings will be crucial in designing UGS features to ensure that the preferences of the public will be integrated with planning to promote wellbeing during times of stress.
References
Altunışık, R., Coşkun R., Bayraktaroğlu S. & Yıldırım E. (2004). Sosyal bilimlerde araştırma yöntemleri (3. bs). İstanbul: Sakarya Kitabevi.
Arin, K. P., Lacomba, J. A., Lagos, F., Moro-Egido, A. I., & Thum, M. (2022). Exploring the hidden impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of urbanization. Economics & Human Biology, 46, 101119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2022.101119
Ayeng, R. (2021, October 30). Pampanga as 'Megalopolis'. Tribune. https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/10/30/pampanga-as-megalopolis/
Baral, S. P., Prasad, P., Shaikh, R., & Raghuvamshi, G. (2022). Mental health awareness and generation gap. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(5), 531–533. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.341859
Barrot, J. S., Llenares, I. I., & del Rosario, L. S. (2021). Students’ online learning challenges during the pandemic and how they cope with them: The case of the Philippines. Education and Information Technologies, 26(6), 7321–7338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10589-x
Berdejo‐Espinola, V., Suárez‐Castro, A. F., Amano, T., Fielding, K. S., Oh, R. R., & Fuller, R. A. (2021). Urban Green Space use during a time of stress: A case study during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Brisbane, Australia. People and Nature, 3(3), 597–609. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10218
Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567-8572. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26124129/
Del Rosario, M. D. (2018, February 8). Pampanga Megapolis Plan: Strongest to counter-magnet to MM. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1024563
de Jong, K., Albin, M., Skärbäck, E., Grahn, P., & Björk, J. (2012). Perceived green qualities were associated with neighborhood satisfaction, physical activity, and general health: Results from a cross-sectional study in suburban and rural Scania, southern Sweden. Health & Place, 18(6), 1374-1380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.07.001
Delice, A. (2010). The sampling issues in quantitative research. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 10(4), 2001-2018. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ919871.pdf
Dimock, M. (2019, March 17). Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/
Evenson, K. R., Jones, S. A., Holliday, K. M., Cohen, D. A., & McKenzie, T. L. (2016). Park characteristics, use, and physical activity: A review of studies using SOPARC (System for Observing Play And Recreation in Communities). Preventive Medicine, 86, 153–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.02.029
Gao, T., Song, R., Zhu, L., & Qiu, L. (2019). What characteristics of urban green spaces and recreational activities do self-reported stressed individuals like? A case study of Baoji, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(8), 1348. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16081348
Geng, D., Innes, J., Wu, W., & Wang, G. (2020). Impacts of covid-19 pandemic on urban park visitation: A global analysis. Journal of Forestry Research, 32(2), 553–567. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-020-01249-w
Grahn, P., & Stigsdotter, U. K. (2010). The relation between perceived sensory dimensions of urban green space and stress restoration. Landscape and Urban Planning, 94(3-4), 264–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2009.10.012
Grahn, P., Tenngart-Ivarsson, C., Stigsdotter, U. K., & Bengtsson, I. L. (2010). Using affordances as a health-promoting tool in a therapeutic garden. In C. W. Thompson, P. Aspinall, S. Bell (Eds.), Innovative approaches to researching landscape and health (pp. 116-154). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203853252
Green, K. H., van de Groep, S., Sweijen, S. W., Becht, A. I., Buijzen, M., de Leeuw, R. N., Remmerswaal, D., van der Zanden, R., Engels, R. C., & Crone, E. A. (2021). Mood and emotional reactivity of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Short-term and long-term effects and the impact of social and socioeconomic stressors. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90851-x
Hou, F., & Marzbali, M. H. (2024). Fear of COVID-19, landscape spatial configuration and environmental satisfaction in urban parks. Planning Malaysia Journal, 22(6), 1–14. https://www.planningmalaysia.org/index.php/pmj/article/view/1647
Jiang, D. H., & McCoy, R. G. (2020). Planning for the Post-COVID Syndrome: How payers can mitigate long-term complications of the pandemic. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35, 3036–3039. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-06042-3
Johnson, B. (2001). Toward a new classification of nonexperimental quantitative research. Educational Researcher, 30(2), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189x030002003
Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.
Khatibi, Z. M. (2021). Pandemic unemployment levels in the micro, small, and medium enterprises: Evidence from the Philippines. International Journal of Progressive Research in Science and Engineering, 2(4), 13–15. https://journal.ijprse.com/index.php/ijprse/article/view/253
Lopez, B., Kennedy, C., Field, C., & McPhearson, T. (2021). Who benefits from urban green spaces during times of crisis? Perception and use of urban green spaces in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 65, 127354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127354
Malekinezhad, F., & Bin Lamit, H. (2017). Investigation into university students restoration experience: The effects of perceived sensory dimension and perceived restorativeness. Preprints, 2017080085. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201708.0085.v1
Maps of World (2013). Pampanga Map. https://www.mapsofworld.com/philippines/provinces/pampanga.html
Marinucci, M., Pancani, L., Aureli, N., & Riva, P. (2022). Online social connections as surrogates of face-to-face interactions: A longitudinal study under COVID-19 isolation. Computers in Human Behavior, 128, 107102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107102
Mayuga, J. L. (2017, June 18). Time to think, talk about green space. Business Mirror. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2017/06/18/time-to-think-talk-about-green-space/
Memari, S., Pazhouhanfar, M., & Nourtaghani, A. (2017). Relationship between perceived sensory dimensions and stress restoration. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 266, 102-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2017.06.003
Nowacki, M., Kowalczyk-Anioł, J., & Chawla, Y. (2023). Gen Z’s attitude towards green image destinations, green tourism and behavioural intention regarding green holiday destination choice: A study in Poland and India. Sustainability, 15(10), 7860. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/7860
Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (2020, March 16). Memorandum from the Executive secretary on community quarantine over the entire Luzon and further guidelines for the management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2020/03/16/memorandum-from-the-executive-secretary-on-community-quarantine-over-the-entire-luzon-and-further-guidelines-for-the-management-of-the-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-situation/
Mendoza, N. B., & Dizon, J. I. (2022). Prevalence of severe anxiety in the Philippines amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 27(8), 787-789. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2021.2023298
Meyer, K. L. (2019). Confronting the pandemic superthreat of climate change and urbanization. Orbis, 63(4), 565–581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orbis.2019.08.006
Montano, R. L. T., & Acebes, K. M. L. (2020). COVID stress predicts depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms of Filipino respondents. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 9(4), 78–103. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v9i4.773
Pálsdóttir, A. M., Persson, D., Persson, B., & Grahn, P. (2014). The journey of recovery and empowerment embraced by nature — Clients’ perspectives on nature-based rehabilitation in relation to the role of the natural environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(7), 7094-7115. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110707094
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2022, August 12). Age and Sex Distribution in the Philippine Population (2020 Census of Population and Housing). https://psa.gov.ph/content/age-and-sex-distribution-philippine-population-2020-census-population-and-housing
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2022, July 4). Urban population of the Philippines (2020 Census of Population and Housing). https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/hsd/pressrelease/1_PR_Urban%20Population_RML_063022_ONS-signed.pdf
Provincial Government of Pampanga. (2013, November 29). General information. https://www.pampanga.gov.ph/index.php/general-information/gen-info.html
Ramos, J. P. & Prasetyo, Y. T. (2020). The impact of work-from-home arrangement on the productivity of employees during COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines: A structural equation modelling approach. 2020 The 6th International Conference on Industrial and Business Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1145/3429551.3429568
Ranada, P. (2020, October 7). Parks will save us: Pandemic highlights lack of Metro Manila green, open spaces. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/covid-19-pandemic-highlights-lack-metro-manila-green-open-spaces/
Robles, L. R. (2020, August 31). Blog 'social capital in a time of ’social distancing’: A reflection on the impact of covid-19 on our social connections'. JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development. https://www.jica.go.jp/jica-ri/news/interview/blog_20200803_01.html
Song, C., Ikeri, H., Park, B., Lee, J., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2018). Psychological benefits of walking through forest areas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(12), 2804. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122804
Stigsdotter, U. K., Corazon, S. S., Sidenius, U., Refshauge, A. D., & Grahn, P. (2017). Forest design for mental health promotion—Using perceived sensory dimensions to elicit restorative responses. Landscape and Urban Planning, 160, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.11.012
Stoltz, J., & Grahn, P. (2021a). Perceived sensory dimensions: An evidence-based approach to greenspace aesthetics. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 59, 126989. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.126989
Stoltz, J., & Grahn, P. (2021b). Perceived sensory dimensions: Key aesthetic qualities for health-promoting urban green spaces. Journal of Biomed Research, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.46439/biomedres.2.009
Tee, M. L., Tee, C. A., Anlacan, J. P., Aligam, K. J., Reyes, P. W., Kuruchittham, V., & Ho, R. C. (2020). Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Journal of Affective Disorders, 277, 379–391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.08.043
Ulrich, R. S. (1983). Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. In I. Altman & J. F. Wohlwill (Eds.), Behavior and the natural environment (Vol. 6, pp. 85-125). Plenum Press.
Uttara, S., Bhuvandas, N., & Aggarwal, V. (2012). Impacts of urbanization on environment. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Applied Sciences, 2, 1637-1645.
World Health Organization (2020, March 11). WHO director-general's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 -11 March 2020. https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020
Xie, J., Luo, S., Furuya, K., & Sun, D. (2020). Urban parks as green buffers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainability, 12(17), 6751. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176751
