The impact of age on people's use and perception of urban green spaces and their effect on personal health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic—A case study of the metropolitan area of Vienna, Austria

The COVID-19 pandemic drew public attention back to urban living conditions, including access to green spaces and their effects on health and social wellbeing. This representative study concerning the metropolitan area of Vienna, Austria's capital (online panel survey; n = 1012; conducted in 2021), aims to evaluate the role of urban green spaces in mitigating the consequences of negative health and wellbeing amongst urban inhabitants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it specifically adds fresh insights regarding the impact of age on the use and perception of urban green spaces during this health crisis. While young adults reconnected with nature and increased the time they spent outdoors, older urban inhabitants reduced the time they spent in urban green spaces on average. 60 % of the respondents aged between 16 and 18 years increased time spent in green spaces, while the majority of the elderly population (65+ years) kept the pre-pandemic amount of outdoor activity (48 %) or reduced it (34 %). All age groups, however, acknowledged the general importance of green spaces for their physical, mental, and emotional health during the pandemic. Large majority of the respondents stated that contact to nature was very important or important for their physical (86 %), mental (89 %) and emotional (88 %) health and wellbeing. However, there were significant differences in the perception of negative health symptoms experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic amongst various age groups. The results show stronger negative symptoms reported by younger population than the older one. This study highlights the heterogeneity of the urban population's needs and behavioural changes during this health crisis and emphasises the necessity to consider the social and environmental justice component in shaping sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban environments. •We investigate the importance of urban green spaces for mitigating negative health and wellbeing effects of COVID-19 pandemic•We report impact of age on people’s use and perception of urban green spaces during COVID-19 pandemic•Re-connection with nature and increased time spent outdoors was observed in young adults during COVID-19 pandemic•Older urban inhabitants on average reduced time spent in urban green spaces during COVID-19 pandemic