PARK FACILITIES IN INFLUENCING VISITATION AND STRESS LEVEL OF LOW-INCOME URBANITES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v23i38.1802Keywords:
Urban park, low-income community, mental health, preliminary studyAbstract
Mental health problems among low-income urbanites have gradually fluctuated with the current inflation. Understandably, participation in green areas can reduce the symptoms of mental health problems. Due to the limited green spaces in low-income neighbourhoods, the time constraints, distance and awareness of the importance of spending time in green space areas are not taken seriously. The fact of design preference, park facilities, and existing spaces did not attract this group to see the benefits from it. This study examines the visitation and stress levels of low-income urbanites in Kuala Lumpur through the influence of park facilities. Self-reported stress level scale and survey questionnaires as the main methodology were distributed to the residents from Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) to identify stress levels, the frequency of park visits and the park facilities at Rimba Bukit Kerinchi Park. The findings show that the park's safety is significantly associated with residents under antidepressants. The residents identify that good natural lighting, clear information about user safety, and feeling safe in the park are the most satisfying elements when visiting the park. Therefore, proper planning guidelines on PPR's housing to utilise the benefits of green spaces among low-income urbanites for better lifestyles are needed.
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