Term of Award

Spring 2025

Degree Name

Master of Science, Applied Geography

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Geology and Geography

Committee Chair

Meimei Lin

Committee Member 1

Wei Tu

Committee Member 2

Christine Hladik

Abstract

Urbanization has significantly affected the availability and quality of urban green and bluespaces (UGBS), as increasing development often reduces these essential natural features. The intensification of urban landscapes frequently prioritizes infrastructure over nature, resulting in a scarcity of UGBS, which are crucial for promoting mental health. Mental health trends in the United States show an increasing prevalence of anxiety and depression, particularly in urbanized areas. This study examines the relationship between exposure to UGBS and mental health, measured by Frequent Mental Distress (FMD), across the contiguous United States (CONUS), focusing on physical coverage and potential human exposure. Using remote sensing, GIS, and spatial statistical analysis, this study explores how varying levels of UGBS exposure, along with the covariate effects of smoking, binge drinking, median income, and educational attainment, influence people’s mental health in major urban environments. Key findings reveal complex and dynamic relationships between mental health and UGBS exposures in 185 major cities across CONUS at census tract. UGBS exposure shows varying correlations with mental health across different cities in 2015, 2016 and 2017. This indicates its significant yet fluctuating impact with localized patterns. Median income and educational attainment consistently demonstrate inverse relationships with mental health. Conversely, smoking exhibits direct relationships with mental health, while binge drinking exhibits both direct and inverse relationships in different cities and times. Recommendations include integrating greenspace and bluespace into urban environments, addressing mental health through multifaceted strategies, and tailoring interventions to regional contexts. This study contributes to understanding the environmental impacts of mental health and provides actionable recommendations for policymakers and urban planners to enhance mental well-being in diverse urban settings.

OCLC Number

1521254768

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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