EXPLORING THE LINK BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL ACCESS TO URBAN GREEN SPACES AND SELF-REPORTED HEALTH IN DENSIFYING CITIES

This study examines the impact of residential access to urban green spaces on self-reported health in Tirana, Albania.Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), survey data, and Urban Atlas data, we calculated the Euclidean distance between 493 respondents' georeferenced home locations and the closest edge of the nearest green space as well as the spatial coverage of green space within a 250 m buffer around the residential place.The findings show a positive correlation between enhanced self-reported health and shorter Euclidean distances to green spaces, as well as a greater presence of green spaces within a 250-meter radius of residential homes.The results underscore a deficiency in green space provision within Tirana, offering relevant insights to urban planners for optimizing green infrastructure and public health initiatives.