Parks and Environmental Justice in Kansas City, Missouri
This page describes the fourth component of the Kansas City Parks and Physical Activity Project entitled “Parks and Environmental Justice in Kansas City, Missouri”. In this study, we examined whether the availability, features, and quality of parks were equally distributed across KCMO by income and race/ethnicity. Read on to learn about our interesting findings!
Project Team
Dr. Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, University of Missouri, Co-PI
Dr. Andrew Kaczynski, University of South Carolina, Co-PI
Katy Vaughan, Kansas State University, Research Assistant
Gina Besenyi, University of South Carolina, Research Assistant
Study Background and Objectives
Parks are important settings for physical activity, especially in low income areas where other accessible, low cost resources may not be available. Generally, persons from lower income and minority backgrounds exhibit lower physical activity levels. This may be partly explained by growing evidence showing that parks and other recreation facilities are less common in low income and racially-diverse neighborhoods.
The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether any disparities existed with respect to park availability, features, and quality across racially and socioeconomically diverse census tracts in Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO).
Study Methods
All census tracts (CTs; n=174) with a majority of their area within KCMO were included in the study. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey were used to identify the median household income and the percentage of minority (non-White and Hispanic White) residents for each CT. For both income and percent minority, all CTs were categorized into even tertiles (low, medium, high).
Parks were enumerated using GIS shape files provided by the City of KCMO and were included in an edited file after an in-person audit if they were deemed useable and publicly accessible. Park availability within CTs was measured using ArcView 9.3 by determining the number of parks and the total area of parks intersecting each tract.
Park features (facilities and amenities) were assessed via the Community Park Audit Tool (CPAT). Trained observers used the CPAT to assess the presence of 14 park facilities (e.g., playgrounds, sports fields, trails) and 25 park amenities (e.g., restrooms, lights, car parking). Park quality was measured by the average number of quality concerns (e.g., graffiti) and aesthetic features (e.g., landscaping) per park in the tract.
We analyzed differences in park availability, features, and quality across income and race/ethnicity tertiles, controlling for the size of the tract, total population in the tract, percentage of the population under 18 years, and the tract’s income or percent minority population.
Summary of Findings
In summary, park availability was greater in inner city, lower income areas of Kansas City, Missouri, but ongoing investments in certain key aspects of park features and quality may also be needed. However, it is encouraging to note that there were no significant differences by income or race/ethnicity for most of the variables examined and that the Kansas City Missouri Parks and Recreation Department has recently begun to add playgrounds and other improvements to numerous parks, including those in low income areas. These and other actions should help to level the playing field to promote physical activity and health among all residents.
Further details on the study methods, results (including maps), and implications can be found in the project summary report below.
Articles/Reports
Project Summary Report
Environmental justice and physical activity: Examining disparities in park availability, features, and quality across Kansas City, Missouri
Annals of Behavioral Medicine journal article
Exploring the distribution of park availability, features, and quality across Kansas City, Missouri by income and race/ethnicity: An environmental justice investigation
Journal of Leisure Research article
Investigating issues of environmental injustice in neighborhoods surrounding parks
Study Funding
This project was supported by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
Project Team
Dr. Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, University of Missouri, Co-PI
Dr. Andrew Kaczynski, University of South Carolina, Co-PI
Katy Vaughan, Kansas State University, Research Assistant
Gina Besenyi, University of South Carolina, Research Assistant
Study Background and Objectives
Parks are important settings for physical activity, especially in low income areas where other accessible, low cost resources may not be available. Generally, persons from lower income and minority backgrounds exhibit lower physical activity levels. This may be partly explained by growing evidence showing that parks and other recreation facilities are less common in low income and racially-diverse neighborhoods.
The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether any disparities existed with respect to park availability, features, and quality across racially and socioeconomically diverse census tracts in Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO).
Study Methods
All census tracts (CTs; n=174) with a majority of their area within KCMO were included in the study. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey were used to identify the median household income and the percentage of minority (non-White and Hispanic White) residents for each CT. For both income and percent minority, all CTs were categorized into even tertiles (low, medium, high).
Parks were enumerated using GIS shape files provided by the City of KCMO and were included in an edited file after an in-person audit if they were deemed useable and publicly accessible. Park availability within CTs was measured using ArcView 9.3 by determining the number of parks and the total area of parks intersecting each tract.
Park features (facilities and amenities) were assessed via the Community Park Audit Tool (CPAT). Trained observers used the CPAT to assess the presence of 14 park facilities (e.g., playgrounds, sports fields, trails) and 25 park amenities (e.g., restrooms, lights, car parking). Park quality was measured by the average number of quality concerns (e.g., graffiti) and aesthetic features (e.g., landscaping) per park in the tract.
We analyzed differences in park availability, features, and quality across income and race/ethnicity tertiles, controlling for the size of the tract, total population in the tract, percentage of the population under 18 years, and the tract’s income or percent minority population.
Summary of Findings
- Low income census tracts contained a greater number of parks on average than medium or high income tracts. There were no differences by race/ethnicity.
- Parks in high income tracts were more likely to contain playgrounds than parks in low or medium income tracts.
- There were fewer parks with trails in high minority areas compared to low or medium minority areas.
- There were more parks with basketball courts in high minority areas compared to low or medium minority areas.
- Parks in low and high income tracts were more likely to be surrounded by sidewalks than parks in medium income tracts.
- There were a greater number of quality concerns per park in low income tracts than in medium or high income tracts.
- There were more aesthetic features per park in medium income tracts than in high income tracts.
In summary, park availability was greater in inner city, lower income areas of Kansas City, Missouri, but ongoing investments in certain key aspects of park features and quality may also be needed. However, it is encouraging to note that there were no significant differences by income or race/ethnicity for most of the variables examined and that the Kansas City Missouri Parks and Recreation Department has recently begun to add playgrounds and other improvements to numerous parks, including those in low income areas. These and other actions should help to level the playing field to promote physical activity and health among all residents.
Further details on the study methods, results (including maps), and implications can be found in the project summary report below.
Articles/Reports
Project Summary Report
Environmental justice and physical activity: Examining disparities in park availability, features, and quality across Kansas City, Missouri
Annals of Behavioral Medicine journal article
Exploring the distribution of park availability, features, and quality across Kansas City, Missouri by income and race/ethnicity: An environmental justice investigation
Journal of Leisure Research article
Investigating issues of environmental injustice in neighborhoods surrounding parks
Study Funding
This project was supported by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.