When we think of general health and being healthy, the relationship between the doctor and patient immediately comes to mind

When we think of general health and being healthy, the relationship between the doctor and patient immediately comes to mind. However, what is the relationship of the environment around us and how does that impact our health and prevalence of chronic health conditions? For the next few weeks, we will explore the built environment (buildings, roads, infrastructure) and its effect on health disparities.

To start thinking about our built environment, let’s start with parks. Parks are a treasured resource in any community since they support us physically (ex. opportunities to exercise) and mentally (ex. green spaces to provide spaces for contemplation). When we look at something as “simple” as a park, does support our health?

For this exercise, we are taking a hard look a park in our communities.

1) How far of a walk (in minutes) is your park?

2) What is the condition of your park? Is it usually clean?

3) Is there enough infrastructure in the park (enough swings, park bench benches) ?