The extent to which novel land-efficient neighborhood design can promote key health behaviors is examined, concentrating on communal outdoor space provision (COSP).
To test whether a neighborhood (Accordia) with a higher ratio of communal to private outdoor space is associated with higher levels of resident’s (a) self-reported local health behaviors and (b) observed engagement in local health behaviors, compared to a matched neighborhood with lower proportion of COSP.
Health behaviors were examined via direct observation and postal survey. Bespoke observation codes and survey items represented key well-being behaviors including “connecting,” “keeping active,” “taking notice,” “keep learning,” and “giving.” The questionnaire was validated using psychometric analyses and observed behaviors were mapped in real-time.
General pursuit of health behaviors was very similar in both areas but Accordia residents reported substantially greater levels of local activity. Validated testing of survey dataset (
Representation is limited to upper-middle class UK groups. However, Accordia was found to promote health behaviors compared a traditional neighborhood that demands considerably more land area. The positive role of