Californians’ Perceptions of the Influence of Parks and Recreation on Quality of Life

Authors

  • Kelly S. Bricker Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, University of Utah
  • William W. Hendricks Professor & Department Head Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration Cal Poly
  • Jerusha B. Greenwood
  • Carol A. Aschenbrenner

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2016-V34-I3-7441

Keywords:

Quality of life, parks and recreation, healthy communities, healthy lifestyles, benefits

Abstract

At the heart of parks and recreation is the underlying goal of improving the quality of life of individuals and contributing to healthy communities. Quality of life has been both theoretically and empirically linked to healthy people and communities; therefore, investigation of the relationship between parks and recreation and quality of life is imperative for the rationale that parks and recreation is a critical public services component of any community.  Although definitions and approaches to measure it differ, quality of life typically includes subjective or personal factors and objective or external factors.  A recent approach to measuring quality of life is to use a multidimensional concept that includes indicators and attitudinal measures. This method was employed by Andereck and Nyaupane (2011a) to examine how tourism affects quality of life among individuals in communities. Our study adapted a scale developed by Andereck and Nyaupane to investigate the influence of parks and recreation on quality of life for California residents, as a component of the state’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.  To do this, we formulated two research questions: (1) What is the influence of parks and recreation on perceived quality of life within their community?, and  (2) Does a person’s perception of the personal benefit from parks and recreation influence perception of quality of life in a community?  The questionnaire included three sets of scales that were combined into a parks and recreation quality of life index (PRQOL) to measure residents’ perceived QOL impacts of parks and recreation.  Five PRQOL domains (community pride and awareness, quality infrastructure and community, economic vitality, natural/cultural preservation, crime and substance abuse) developed from the data by employing Exploratory Factor Analysis, demonstrated that the impact of parks and recreation positively influences perceptions of quality of life for California residents. To understand the relationships between personal benefit of parks and recreation and the five PRQOL domains, a multivariate general linear model was constructed. This model indicated that perceived personal benefit resulting from parks and recreation was positively related to all five PRQOL domains. Ultimately, positive perceptions of PRQOL by community residents could influence policy development, funding, and access to parks and recreation resources, programs, and services.

Author Biographies

Kelly S. Bricker, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, University of Utah

Dr. Bricker is a Professor of Sustainable Tourism and Chair of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism at the University of Utah.  .  She completed her Ph.D. research with the Pennsylvania State University, where she specialized in sustainable tourism and natural resource management. Her research and non-profit service focused on impacts and benefits of nature-based tourism including biodiversity conservation, economic advancement of communities, and opportunities for all citizens to continue their connections with the natural environment through employment, recreation, and the provision of ecosystem services.  Kelly has conducted research on cultural and natural heritage tourism, social and environmental impacts of tourism, and natural resource-related management of tourism environments.  She has published and presented papers on issues in ecotourism certification and policy, sense of place, natural resource management issues, and the relationships between health and sustainable tourism. With Rosemary Black and Stuart Cottrell, she authored and edited a book titled Sustainable Tourism & the Millennium Development Goals: Effecting Positive Change. Since 1997, she has worked with a team of dedicated ecotourism advocates and communities, on a unique program in Fiji which utilizes tourism as a conservation tool to protect 16 km of Fiji’s 3rd largest river drainage.  She currently serves as the Chair of The International Ecotourism Society’s Research and Education Council and as past Chair, current Vice Chair and Treasurer for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. 

William W. Hendricks, Professor & Department Head Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration Cal Poly

Bill Hendricks is a Professor and Head of the Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Hendricks completed his Ph.D. at the University of Utah. His research interests include visitor experiences, recreation resource management, and sustainable tourism. For more than two decades, Hendricks has worked cooperatively with the U.S. Forest Service on a variety of outdoor recreation research projects. In addition, he has maintained cooperative research projects with California State Parks since 2000. He is currently a member of the Visit California Research Committee, the Sunset Magazine Travel Awards Advisory Board, a Trustee of the California Foundation for Parks and Recreation, and a member of the California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks, and Tourism. Among his honors, Hendricks is a recipient of the Cal Poly Distinguished Scholarship Award; the Cal Poly Distinguished Faculty Service-Learning Award; the College of Agriculture Faculty Teaching Excellence Award; the USFS Rocky Mountain Region Partners in Action Award, and the U.S. Forest Service and International Journal of Wilderness Excellence in Wilderness Management Research Award.  Hendricks is an elected Fellow in the Academy of Leisure Sciences and the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.

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Published

2016-08-10

Issue

Vol. 34 No. 3 (2016): Special Issue–Healthy Parks, Healthy People Part II​

Section

Special Issue: Healthy Parks, Healthy People Part II

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