The number of studies and publications do not always correspond (e.g., a publication may include several studies, or one study may be explained in several publications).
Effectiveness Review
Andersen HB, Christiansen LB, Klinker CD, Ersbøll AK, Troelsen J, et al. Increases in use and activity due to urban renewal: effect of a natural experiment. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2017;53(3):e81-7.
Bohn-Goldbaum EE, Phongsavan P, Merom D, Rogers K, Kamalesh V, et al. Does playground improvement increase physical activity among children? A quasi-experimental study of a natural experiment. Journal of Environmental and Public Health 2013:9p.
Buller DB, English DR, Buller MK, Simmons J, Chamberlain JA, et al. Shade sails and passive recreation in public parks of Melbourne and Denver: a randomized intervention. American Journal of Public Health 2017;107(12):1869-75.
Burbidge SK, Goulias KG. Evaluating the impact of neighborhood trail development on active travel behavior and overall physical activity of suburban residents. Transportation Research Record 2009;2135(1):78-86.
Cohen DA, Sehgal A, Williamson S, Marsh T, Golinelli D, et al. New recreational facilities for the young and the old in Los Angeles: policy and programming implications. Journal of Public Health Policy 2009;30:S248-63.
Cohen DA, Marsh T, Williamson S, Golinelli D, McKenzie TL. Impact and cost-effectiveness of family fitness zones: a natural experiment in urban public parks. Health & Place 2012;18(1):39-45.
Cohen DA, Marsh T, Williamson S, Han B, Derose KP, et al. The potential for pocket parks to increase physical activity. American Journal of Health Promotion 2014;28(3 suppl):S19-26.
Dobbinson SJ, Simmons J, Chamberlain JA, MacInnis RJ, Salmon J, et al. Examining health-related effects of refurbishment to parks in a lower socioeconomic area: the ShadePlus Natural Experiment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020;17(17):6102.
Peschardt KK, Stigsdotter UK. Evidence for designing health promoting pocket parks. ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research 2014;8(3):149.
Quigg R, Reeder AI, Gray A, Holt A, Waters D. The effectiveness of a community playground intervention. Journal of Urban Health 2012;89(1):171-84.
Roemmich JN, Beeler JE, Johnson L. A microenvironment approach to reducing sedentary time and increasing physical activity of children and adults at a playground. Preventive Medicine 2014;62:108-12.
Sami M, Smith M, Ogunseitan OA. Peer reviewed: changes in physical activity after installation of a fitness zone in a community park. Preventing Chronic Disease 2018;15.
Veitch J, Salmon J, Crawford D, Abbott G, Giles-Corti B, et al. The REVAMP natural experiment study: the impact of a play-scape installation on park visitation and park-based physical activity. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2018;15(1):1-4.
Veitch J, Ball K, Crawford D, Abbott GR, Salmon J. Park improvements and park activity: a natural experiment. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2012;42:616-19.
West ST, Shores KA. The impacts of building a greenway on proximate residents’ physical activity. Journal of Physical Activity and Health 2011;8(8):1092-7.
West ST and Shores KA. Does building a greenway promote physical activity among proximate residents? Journal of Physical Activity and Health 2015;12:52-7.
Effectiveness Review
The CPSTF recommendation is based on a systematic review of 38 studies (published through July 2020). The review combined 26 studies of park, trail, or greenway interventions identified from a published systematic review (Hunter et al. 2019; search period through August 2016) with 12 studies identified in an updated search that used the same search terms (search period August 2016 to July 2020).
Hunter et al. (2019) included 38 studies in their review. The Community Guide review team assessed each study based on community guide methods and identified 26 eligible studies for this review. The Community Guide updated search for evidence used a search strategy adapted from Hunter et al. 2019.
Databases searched for this review included Medline, PsycINFO, CAB Abstracts, Scopus, Cochrane, Greenfiles, and Agricultural & Environmental Science Dissertations Environmental Science Collection.
Medline
1 Environment Design/
2 Urban Health/
3 Parks, Recreational/
4 Forestry/
5 (urban adj green adj space).ti,ab.
6 green*space.ti,ab.
7 (open adj space).ti,ab.
8 (public adj space).ti,ab.
9 (public adj open adj space).ti,ab.
10 (park not parkin*).ti,ab.
11 (city adj park).ti,ab.
12 (public adj park).ti,ab.
13 (urban adj park).ti,ab.
14 (municipal adj park).ti,ab.
15 (greenway or urban greenway).ti,ab.
16 (urban adj regen*).ti,ab.
17 (trail* or (urban adj trail*)).ti,ab.
18 (urban adj forestry).ti,ab.
19 water sensitive urban design.ti,ab.
20 WSUD.ti,ab.
21 sustainable urban drainage system*.ti,ab.
22 bio?retention basin*.ti,ab.
23 green roof*.ti,ab.
24 roof garden.ti,ab.
25 living roof*.ti,ab.
26 green wall*.ti,ab.
27 living wall*.ti,ab.
28 vertical garden*.ti,ab.
29 street tree*.ti,ab.
30 green corridor*.ti,ab.
31 green screen*.ti,ab.
32 urban green*.ti,ab.
33 urban conservation.ti,ab.
34 urban naturalization.ti,ab.
35 urban rehabilitation.ti,ab.
36 urban agriculture.ti,ab.
37 or/1-36
38 intervention stud*.mp.
39 randomised control* trial.mp.
40 randomized control* trial.mp.
41 comparative stud*.mp.
42 control group.mp.
43 (randomised or randomized or randomly or groups).mp.
44 quasi*experiment*.mp.
45 natural experiment*.mp.
46 (pre test or pretest or pre intervention or post intervention or post test or posttest).mp.
47 (intervention or interventional or process or program*).mp.
48 (evaluat* or intervention or interventional or treatment).mp.
49 case stud*.mp.
50 retrofit*.mp.
51 or/38-50
52 37 and 51
53 52 not (animals not humans).sh.
54 limit 53 to dt=20200201-20200731
55 limit 54 to english language
56 limit 55 to abstracts
PsycINFO
1 (Environment* adj design).ti,ab.
2 (urban adj health).ti,ab.
3 Parks, Recreational/
4 (urban adj green adj space).ti,ab.
5 green*space.ti,ab. 49
6 (open adj space).ti,ab. 447
7 (public adj space).ti,ab. 784
8 (public adj open adj space).ti,ab.
9 (park not parkin*).ti,ab.
10 (park not parkin*).ti,ab.
11 (city adj park).ti,ab.
12 (public adj park).ti,ab.
13 (urban adj park).ti,ab.
14 (municipal adj park).ti,ab.
15 (greenway or urban greenway).ti,ab.
16 (urban adj regen*).ti,ab.
17 (trail* or (urban adj trail*)).ti,ab.
18 (urban adj5 forestry).ti,ab.
19 (green adj5 roof*).ti,ab.
20 (roof adj5 garden).ti,ab.
21 (living adj5 roof*).ti,ab.
22 green wall*.ti,ab.
23 (living adj5 wall*).ti,ab.
24 street tree*.ti,ab.
25 green corridor*.ti,ab.
26 green screen*.ti,ab.
27 urban green*.ti,ab.
28 urban conservation.ti,ab.
29 urban rehabilitation.ti,ab.
30 urban agriculture.ti,ab.
31 or/1-30
32 intervention stud*.mp.
33 randomised control* trial.mp.
34 randomized control* trial.mp.
35 comparative stud*.mp.
36 control group.mp.
37 (randomised or randomized or randomly or groups).mp.
38 quasi*experiment*.mp.
39 natural experiment*.mp.
40 (pre test or pretest or pre intervention or post intervention or post test or posttest).mp.
41 (intervention or interventional or process or program*).mp.
42 (evaluat* or intervention or interventional or treatment).mp.
43 case stud*.mp.
44 retrofit*.mp.
45 or/32-44
46 31 and 45
47 exp Animals/ not humans.sh.
48 46 not 47
49 limit 48 to up=20200201-20200731
50 limit 49 to (english language and abstracts)
CAB Abstracts
1 (Environment adj design).ti,ab.
2 (Urban adj Health).ti,ab.
3 (recreational adj park*).ti,ab.
4 Forestry/
5 (urban adj green adj space).ti,ab.
6 green*space.ti,ab.
7 (open adj space).ti,ab.
8 (public adj space).ti,ab.
9 (public adj open adj space).ti,ab.
10 (park not parkin*).ti,ab.
11 (city adj park).ti,ab.
12 (public adj park).ti,ab.
13 (urban adj park).ti,ab.
14 (municipal adj park).ti,ab.
15 (greenway or urban greenway).ti,ab.
16 (urban adj regen*).ti,ab.
17 (trail* or (urban adj trail*)).ti,ab.
18 (urban adj forestry).ti,ab.
19 water sensitive urban design.ti,ab.
20 WSUD.ti,ab.
21 sustainable urban drainage system*.ti,ab.
22 bio?retention basin*.ti,ab.
23 green roof*.ti,ab.
24 roof garden.ti,ab.
25 living roof*.ti,ab.
26 green wall*.ti,ab.
27 living wall*.ti,ab.
28 vertical garden*.ti,ab.
29 street tree*.ti,ab.
30 green corridor*.ti,ab.
31 green screen*.ti,ab.
32 urban green*.ti,ab.
33 urban conservation.ti,ab.
34 (urban adj5 naturalization).ti,ab.
35 urban rehabilitation.ti,ab.
36 urban agriculture.ti,ab.
37 or/1-36
38 intervention stud*.mp.
39 randomised control* trial.mp.
40 randomized control* trial.mp.
41 comparative stud*.mp.
42 control group.mp.
43 (randomised or randomized or randomly or groups).mp.
44 quasi*experiment*.mp.
45 natural experiment*.mp.
46 (pre test or pretest or pre intervention or post intervention or post test or posttest).mp.
47 (intervention or interventional or process or program*).mp.
48 (evaluat* or intervention or interventional or treatment).mp.
49 case stud*.mp.
50 retrofit*.mp.
51 or/38-50
52 37 and 51
53 52 not (animals not humans).sh.
54 (202002* or 202003* or 202004* or 202005* or 202006* or 202007*).ud.
55 53 and 54 762
56 limit 55 to (abstracts and english language)
57 from 56 keep 1-617 617
Scopus
( TITLE-ABS ( "environmental design" OR "urban health" OR "recreational parks" OR forestry OR "urban green space" OR "green space" OR "open space" OR "public space" OR "public open space" OR park OR "city park" OR "public park" OR "urban park" OR "municipal park" OR greenway OR "urban greenway" OR "urban regen" OR trail OR "urban trail" OR "urban forestry" OR "water sensitive urban design" OR "WSUD" OR "sustainable urban drainage system" OR ( bio W/1 retention AND basin ) OR "green roof" OR "roof garden" OR "living roof" OR "green wall" OR "living wall" OR "vertical garden" OR "street tree" OR "green corridor" OR "green screen" OR "urban green" OR "urban conservation" OR "urban naturalization" OR "urban rehabilitation" OR "urban agriculture" ) ) AND ( TITLE-ABS-KEY ( "intervention stud*" OR "comparative stud*" OR "case stud*" OR ( clinic* W/1 trial* ) OR ( randomi* W/1 control* ) OR ( randomi* W/2 trial* ) OR ( random* W/1 assign* ) OR ( random* W/1 allocat* ) OR ( control* W/1 clinic* ) OR ( control* W/1 trial ) OR placebo* OR ( quantitat* W/1 stud* ) OR ( control* W/1 stud* ) OR ( randomi* W/1 stud* ) OR ( singl* W/1 blind* ) OR ( singl* W/1 mask* ) OR ( doubl* W/1 blind* ) OR ( doubl* W/1 mask* ) OR ( tripl* W/1 blind* ) OR ( tripl* W/1 mask* ) OR ( trebl* W/1 blind* ) OR ( trebl* W/1 mask* ) ) AND NOT ( SRCTYPE ( b ) OR SRCTYPE ( k ) OR DOCTYPE ( ab ) OR DOCTYPE ( bk ) OR DOCTYPE ( ch ) OR DOCTYPE ( bz ) OR DOCTYPE ( cr ) OR DOCTYPE ( ed ) OR DOCTYPE ( er ) OR DOCTYPE ( le ) OR DOCTYPE ( no ) OR DOCTYPE ( pr ) OR DOCTYPE ( rp ) OR DOCTYPE ( re ) OR DOCTYPE ( sh ) ) ) AND NOT INDEX ( medline ) AND ( LIMIT-TO ( PUBYEAR,2020) ) AND ( LIMIT-TO ( LANGUAGE,"English" ) )
Cochrane
#1 ("urban green space"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#2 ("green*space"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#3 ("open space"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#4 ("public space"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#5 (Park NOT parking):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#6 ("city park"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#7 ("public park"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#8 ("urban park"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#9 ("municipal park"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#10 (greenway or "urban greenway"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#11 urban NEXT/5 regen*
#12 (trail):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#13 ("urban forestry"):ti,ab,kw
#14 ("green roof"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#15 ("urban green*"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#16 ("urban naturalization"):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#17 "urban rehabilitation" ):ti,ab,kw (Word variations have been searched)
#18 #1 OR #2 OR #3 OR #4 OR #5 OR #6 OR #7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12 OR #13 OR #14 OR #15 OR #16 OR #17 with Cochrane Library publication date Between Feb 2020 and Aug 2020
GreenFILES (Ebsco)
S1 TI ( "environmental design" OR "urban health" OR "recreational parks" OR forestry OR "urban green space" OR "green space" OR "open space" OR "public space" OR "public open space" OR park OR "city park" OR "public park" OR "urban park" OR "municipal park" OR greenway OR "urban greenway" OR "urban regen" OR trail OR "urban trail" OR "urban forestry" OR "water sensitive urban design" OR "WSUD" OR "sustainable urban drainage system" OR "green roof" OR "roof garden" OR "living roof" OR "green wall" OR "living wall" OR "vertical garden" OR "street tree" OR "green corridor" OR "green screen" OR "urban green" OR "urban conservation" OR "urban naturalization" OR "urban rehabilitation" OR "urban agriculture" OR "bio retention basin") OR AB ( "environmental design" OR "urban health" OR "recreational parks" OR forestry OR "urban green space" OR "green space" OR "open space" OR "public space" OR "public open space" OR park OR "city park" OR "public park" OR "urban park" OR "municipal park" OR greenway OR "urban greenway" OR "urban regen" OR trail OR "urban trail" OR "urban forestry" OR "water sensitive urban design" OR "WSUD" OR "sustainable urban drainage system" OR "green roof" OR "roof garden" OR "living roof" OR "green wall" OR "living wall" OR "vertical garden" OR "street tree" OR "green corridor" OR "green screen" OR "urban green" OR "urban conservation" OR "urban naturalization" OR "urban rehabilitation" OR "urban agriculture" "bio retention basin")
S2 "intervention studies"
S3 "randomized control* trials" or rtc or "randomised control* trials"
S4 comparative stud*
S5 control group
S6 randomised or randomized or randomly or groups
S7 "quasi* experiment*"
S8 "natural experiment*"
S9 ("pre test" OR pretest PR "pre intervention" OR "post intervention" OR "post test" OR posttest)
S10 (intervention OR inteventional OR process OR programs*)
S11 (evaluat* OR intervention OR interventional OR treatment)
12 "case stud*"
S13 retrofit*
S14 S2 OR S3 OR S4 OR S5 OR S6 OR S7 OR S8 OR S9 OR S10 OR S11 OR S12 OR S13
S15 S1 AND S14
S16 S1 AND S14 Limiters - Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals; Publication Date: 20200201-20200731
Agricultural & Environmental Science Dissertations
Environmental Science Collection
(((((ti(("environmental design" OR "urban health" OR "recreational parks" OR forestry OR "urban green space" OR "green space" OR "open space" OR "public space" OR "public open space" OR park OR "city park" OR "public park" OR "urban park" OR "municipal park" OR greenway OR "urban greenway" OR "urban regen" OR trail OR "urban trail" OR "urban forestry" OR "water sensitive urban design" OR "WSUD" OR "sustainable urban drainage system" OR "green roof" OR "roof garden" OR "living roof" OR "green wall" OR "living wall" OR "vertical garden" OR "street tree" OR "green corridor" OR "green screen" OR "urban green" OR "urban conservation" OR "urban naturalization" OR "urban rehabilitation" OR "urban agriculture" OR "bio retention basin")) OR ab(("environmental design" OR "urban health" OR "recreational parks" OR forestry OR "urban green space" OR "green space" OR "open space" OR "public space" OR "public open space" OR park OR "city park" OR "public park" OR "urban park" OR "municipal park" OR greenway OR "urban greenway" OR "urban regen" OR trail OR "urban trail" OR "urban forestry" OR "water sensitive urban design" OR "WSUD" OR "sustainable urban drainage system" OR "green roof" OR "roof garden" OR "living roof" OR "green wall" OR "living wall" OR "vertical garden" OR "street tree" OR "green corridor" OR "green screen" OR "urban green" OR "urban conservation" OR "urban naturalization" OR "urban rehabilitation" OR "urban agriculture" OR "bio retention basin"))) AND peer(yes)) AND PEER(yes)) AND ((ti("intervention studies") OR ab("intervention studies")) OR (ti("randomized control* trials" OR rtc OR "randomised control* trials") OR ab("randomized control* trials" OR rtc OR "randomised control* trials")) OR (ti("comparative stud*") OR ab("comparative stud*")) OR (ti("control group") OR ab("control group")) OR (ti(randomised OR randomized OR randomly OR groups) OR ab(randomised OR randomized OR randomly OR groups)) OR (ti("quasi* experiment*") OR ab("quasi* experiment*")) OR (ab("natural experiment*") OR ti("natural experiment*")) OR (ti(("pre test" OR pretest PR "pre intervention" OR "post intervention" OR "post test" OR posttest)) OR ab(("pre test" OR pretest PR "pre intervention" OR "post intervention" OR "post test" OR posttest))) OR (ti((intervention OR interventional OR process OR programs*)) OR ab((intervention OR interventional OR process OR programs*))) OR (ti((evaluat* OR intervention OR interventional OR treatment)) OR ab((evaluat* OR intervention OR interventional OR treatment))) OR (ti("case stud*") OR ab("case stud*")) OR (ti(retrofit*) OR ab(retrofit*)))) NOT (stype.exact("Books") AND la.exact("ENG") AND pd(20160801-20200731) AND PEER(yes)))