Background As a kind of green space with high exposure frequency, the quality of residential green space will directly affect the physical and mental health of residents.

Objective This study aims to understand the impacts of green space in urban residential areas on the physical and mental health of residents.

Methods A total of 800 residents from two urban residential areas A and B of Hefei City were selected as study subjects. Through field investigation and questionnaire survey, green space qualities in selected residential areas were quantitatively evaluated by analytic hierarchy process. The physical and mental health of residents was assessed using 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Scale. The impacts of green space on the physical and mental health of residents were estimated by multiple linear regression analysis.

Results In the evaluation of the ecological, service, and aesthetic functions of green space, the scores of residential area A were 0.714±0.172, 0.564±0.252, and 0.636±0.158, respectively, and the scores of residential area B were 0.736±0.164, 0.628±0.248, and 0.656±0.146, respectively. The scores of physical and mental health of residents were 0.616±0.119 and 0.564±0.216 respectively. The multiple linear regression analysis results found that the score of residents' physical health was positively correlated with the ecological function and the service function of green space (b=0.027, b=0.114, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with the aesthetic function of green space (b=-0.014, P < 0.05); the score of residents' mental health was positively correlated with the ecological function and the aesthetic function of green space (b=0.042, b=0.136, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with the service function of green space (b=-0.043, P < 0.05).

Conclusion The ecological function of green space in the selected two Hefei residential areas is positively correlated with residents' physical and mental health; the service function of green space is positively correlated with physical health and negatively correlated with mental health; the aesthetic function of green space is positively correlated with mental health and negatively correlated with physical health.