How public safety can influence public health
A basketball court, soccer field or playground may help make a park inviting. But a new UC Irvine study suggests that the way public safety is approached can also influence how people use those spaces.
New research from UC Irvine suggests that how public safety is addressed can impact the level of physical activity in public spaces like parks. Using observational data from nearly 4,000 park users across 17 parks in South Los Angeles, the study found that parks participating in a community-led safety program called "Safe Passages" had higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared to those managed by the Los Angeles Police Department's Community Safety Partnership.
The greatest gains in activity were among Black park users, who were significantly more physically active in Safe Passages parks. The researchers noted that the type of safety intervention, rather than the quality of park features or amenities, was a stronger predictor of physical activity levels. The study highlights the importance of considering public safety as part of a broader strategy to improve community health, especially in historically underserved communities where access to safe, well-maintained parks has been limited due to structural inequities.
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