The role of public gardens in enhancing diabetic patients’ health and wellbeing

Sidawi, Bhzad; Mahdjoubi, Lamine

Abstract

Cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have experienced rapid uncontrolled urbanism due to the absence of robust planning measures. This causes lack or ill distributions of facilities and segregation between these facilities and the residences in districts and neighbourhoods across the King-dom. It also encouraged citizens to adopt unhealthy lifestyles which in turn aggravated their health conditions. This paper discusses the critical relationship between the unhealthy lifestyle of diabetic patients and the proximity of public gardens. A survey on 76 diabetic patients and their living conditions was carried out. A visual and mapping survey was conducted on public gardens and vacant lands around diabetics’ homes. The study found that cities in the Eastern province, KSA have unhealthy urban and suburban settings in terms of the proximity and characteristics of public gardens. It is revealed that patients have unhealthier lifestyle and frequent diabetic symptoms when gardens are far away and vacant lands are nearer to their homes. This calls the need for emergent amendment of the present planning regulations for the use of vacant lands and public amenities including public gardens in Saudi cities so they would help improving the physical, psychological and spiritual health of the diabetic patients and the community.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 2, 2016
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Oct 11, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 27, 2016
• Journal: Technics Technologies Education Management
• Print ISSN: 1840-1503
• Electronic ISSN: 1986-809X
• Publisher: DRUNPP
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 111-123
• Keywords: diabetes, public garden, health, lifestyle, wellbeing
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/923244
• Publisher URL: http://ttem.ba/
• Contract Date: Oct 11, 2016