THE SOCIOECONOMIC AND HEALTH EFFECTS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE VRACAR MUNICIPALITY, CITY OF BELGRADE.

Green spaces are the important components of the green infrastructure of cities that provide a wide range of services. Recent demographic reports have shown that the most people live in urban areas and that quality of living and work environment directly affects the physical and mental health of city residents. Health-promoting areas and elements within urban areas such as green spaces are recognized to support the residents' possibilities to cope with morbidity and to have a beneficial effect on general health. The Vracar municipality represents one of the three central municipalities in the territory of the Belgrade, with the low percentage of green areas and the high population density. This paper examines the relation between the socioeconomic and health characteristics of the residents with a quality of a green infrastructure of the Vracar municipality. According to the results of the survey, on one side a high number of the Vracar residents visit local parks less than 3 times a week and stay less than 30 minutes, while on the other, 69% of the residents suffer from the respiratory infections and have frequent annual visits to a doctor. The results of this study indicate that exposure to the green environment and spending free time outdoors in local parks, have a clear influence on the general health and the degree of urbanity and the higher proportion of green space affect a life quality of the Vracar residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]