Maternal awareness, attitudes, and practices relating to green spaces and their impact on child health in Sunyani, Ghana

Abstract

Green Spaces have been demonstrated to hold several benefits for ecosystems and the sustenance of human health. In this hospital-based study in the Bono Region of Ghana, the researchers explore awareness, attitudes, and practices towards green spaces among 420 mothers. A cross-sectional design was employed to elicit primary data using a structured questionnaire. Following this, the study findings revealed that awareness of green spaces was relatively high among mothers; however, their attitudes and practices remained low, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to bridge this gap. The study finds that awareness was high (60%); however, less than a third of respondents exhibited a positive attitude (22%) and good practice (19%), highlighting a gap between knowledge and behavioral adoption. Multivariate regression analysis reveals that awareness was primarily determined by the highest educational level (β = 0.982) and the self-reported amount of greenery and vegetation in the respondent's neighborhood (β = -0.785). Similarly, attitudes were shaped by maternal ethnicity (β = -0.031) and household size (β = -0.116), indicating the role of socio-cultural and demographic factors. Furthermore, practices were influenced by multiple variables, including maternal age (β = 0.051), home ownership (β = 0.165), self-reported greenery in the neighborhood (β = -0.188), and the perceived quality of nearby green spaces (β = -0.059). Given these findings, policies should prioritize educating mothers on the benefits of green spaces while also enhancing accessibility and quality to encourage better utilization. In addition, the planning and establishment of green parks, green spaces, and natural vegetation in the neighbourhood and at community levels should be encouraged and intensified.