With increasing trends in global migration and urbanization causing human health issues such as psychological stress, context-sensitive planning and strategizing for outdoor nature-based interventions, such as urban green spaces (UGS), paves way for sustainable and socially just cities and communities. This study aims to explore and identify this context in regard to immigrants in Sweden through triangulation of collected data involving participants’ perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward migration, urban green spaces, and human health in the framework of the perceived restorative qualities of Kaplan & Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART). Methods for data collection included an online survey and perceived restorativeness (PRS) test administered to 100 respondents, and semi-structured interviews, photovoice storytelling, and a similar PRS test to 18 interviewees. The collected data was analyzed through mixed methods. Quantitative data analysis was performed using descriptive analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test to detect significant differences of PRS test results of survey respondents in regard to aspects of their migration background and UGS perspectives. Qualitative data analysis was performed using thematic analysis on data collected from the interviewees resulting to five identified main themes. Furthermore, results from both qualitative and quantitative analyses are interpreted through a reconstruction of narratives of potential UGS beneficiaries. Findings have shown evidence of migration-related experiences, memories, and lifestyles as main factors of current attitudes and behaviors toward UGS, and consequently affecting maximization of intended UGS benefits. Air pollution and negative social experiences were shown to be main factors affecting participants’ wellbeing and frequency of UGS use. Water features, family-friendly orientation, and walkability in outdoor spaces were shown to be main preferences hinting at pathways of UGS toward improved human wellbeing. Despite the challenge of needing personal life context to enlighten socially just decision-making in the planning of urban outdoor spaces, the interconnectedness of perspectives of interview and survey participants with varying migration backgrounds through the reconstructed narratives shed light on pathways that urban planners can choose to focus on.  

Denna studie utforskar migrationens och urbana grönområdens (UGS) kontext i Sverige, med fokus på invandrares uppfattningar, attityder och beteenden gentemot UGS och hälsa inom ramen för Kaplan & Kaplans Attention Restoration Theory (ART). Datainsamlingen inkluderade en online-enkät och ett test för upplevd återhämtning (PRS) som administrerades till 100 respondenter, samt semistrukturerade intervjuer, fotoberättelser och PRS-test till 18 intervjuade. Blandad metodanalys avslöjade migrationsrelaterade erfarenheter som nyckelfaktorer som påverkar UGS-användning och välbefinnande. Preferenser inkluderade vatteninslag, familjevänliga områden och gångvänlighet. Luftföroreningar och negativa sociala erfarenheter påverkade välbefinnandet och UGS-användningen negativt. Resultaten informerar om socialt rättvis stadsplanering.