Examining Psychosocial and Economic Barriers to Green Space Access for Racialised Individuals and Families: A Narrative Literature Review of the Evidence to Date

Tila Robinson; Noelle Robertson; Ffion Curtis; Natalie Darko; Ceri R Jones

doi:10.3390/ijerph20010745

Examining Psychosocial and Economic Barriers to Green Space Access for Racialised Individuals and Families: A Narrative Literature Review of the Evidence to Date

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 31;20(1):745. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20010745.

Authors

Tila Robinson¹, Noelle Robertson¹, Ffion Curtis², Natalie Darko³, Ceri R Jones¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology and Vison Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
² Centre for Ethnic Health, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
³ School of Sociology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.

Abstract

Background: Social prescribing (such as green social prescribing), aims to address health disparities cross-culturally to improve well-being. However, evidence highlights racial disparities in relation to access to quality green space (including local/national parks and recreational spaces). This review aimed to identify the psycho-socioeconomic barriers to green space access for racialised individuals/families and Black Indigenous People of Colour (BIPOC), to understand what cultural adaptations might be made to help support them to access green social prescribing within the UK.

Method: A narrative systematic review was conducted to identify barriers to green space access for racialised individuals/families and BIPOC. Searches of publication databases (APA PsycInfo, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews [CDSR], Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], and SCOPUS Preview) were undertaken from January to February 2022, to identify quantitative peer reviewed studies. Of the 4493 abstracts identified, ten studies met the inclusion criteria and were included for final review.

Results: The results suggest that interpersonal, practical (such as transportation costs, entrance fees and lodging costs) and environmental factors can act as barriers to green space access for racialised individuals/families. Most frequently reported barriers were perceptions of safety and costs associated with travel and accessing green spaces, particularly for families.

Conclusion: Factors such as diversity-friendly schemes (e.g., multiple languages on signs and additional prayer spaces in parks), funding and strategies to improve safety should be considered in the design and commissioning of green space and green social prescribing initiatives in primary care. By mitigating these barriers green space can become more accessible and improve inclusivity for racialised individuals/families. Future research could explore the inter-racial differences between racialised populations and which mechanisms reduce barriers to access and in what contexts.

Keywords: accessibility; barriers; economic; equality; ethnic minority; green space; psychosocial; racialised; social prescribing.

Publication types

Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Ethnicity*
Humans
Narration
Parks, Recreational*

Grants and funding

This research was not funded.