Physical Activity and Redesigned Community Spaces (PARCS) Study

In collaboration with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, the PARCS Study evaluates the impact of citywide park redesign and renovation on physical activity, mental health, and community well-being. The PARCS Study is a first-of-its-kind, multi-year project working with community residents across all five boroughs to better understand the relationship between community environment and health. The study utilizes the latest mobile health technology to assess park use, physical activity, and a range of psychosocial and community well-being outcomes. Results from the study will yield critical insights to inform future community design policies and practices.

Principal Investigator: Terry Huang

Select Publications:

• The association of park use and park perception with quality of life using structural equation modeling

• Perceived neighborhood environment walkability and health-related quality of life among predominantly Black and Latino adults in New York City

• Factors associated with mask use in New York City neighborhood parks during the COVID-19 pandemic: A field audit study

• The Role of the Physical and Social Environment in Observed and Self-Reported Park Use in Low-Income Neighborhoods in New York City

• Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Community-Based Longitudinal Studies in Diverse Urban Neighborhoods

• It Starts with a Conversation: The Importance of Values as Building Blocks of Engagement Strategies in Community-Centered Public Health Research

• Correlates of accelerometry non-adherence in an economically disadvantaged minority urban adult population

• An Exploration of Psychosocial Pathways of Parks' Effects on Health: A Qualitative Study

• Design Thinking to Improve Implementation of Public Health Interventions: An Exploratory Case Study on Enhancing Park Use

• The Physical Activity and Redesigned Community Spaces (PARCS) Study: Protocol of a natural experiment to investigate the impact of citywide park redesign and renovation

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