Table 3.

Key themes and associated quotes.

Theme	Description	Example Quotes
Sounds and sights	Green space and birdsong were sensory aspects that made an environment seem healthier; environments without greenery and with sounds of road traffic were perceived as less healthy.	“I realised the importance of the birdsong and where there was a variety of different birds singing … that kind of to me felt like it was a healthier space.” “When I see the city [in the 360° video] … it’s not healthy at all. There’s loads of cars so pollution is definitely affecting everything … and there’s a lack of trees … there was only one type of shrub that I felt was just there for decoration.”
Accessibility	Geographical and logistical accessibility were important aspects of a healthy environment. The former relates to the proximity, such as of nature, to communities; the latter is about physical aspects of an environment that can make it more or less accessible to certain communities. Logistical accessibility was of particular concern to participants with physical disabilities whose access to certain environments can be limited by physical barriers.	“It would be lovely to live away from the hustle and bustle of the busy areas that we are in, but we need a transport system.” “I had mixed reactions … it was beautiful, but that reaction was followed quickly with sadness and a sense of exclusion, because there ’s likely no chance of getting to similar places in a wheelchair.”
Familiarity	Familiarity moderated the strength of the link between safety and healthy environments. Environments that were most familiar to participants were often where they felt safest. Hence these environments improved mental health and wellbeing and were considered healthier than unfamiliar environments.	“I’m from a countryside background. So it ’s more familiar … when you’re familiar, you tend to be more safe” “When it came to the seafront or coastal views, it was unfamiliar and very quiet. And if I were in that space, I wouldn’t really know how to navigate it. And feel really unsafe in that space as well.”
Safety	The link between safety and healthy environments was perceived in three respects: healthy air, reduced risk of physical harm from accidents (e.g., road traffic accidents), and freedom from physical violence. These aspects were seen to compete with each other by some participants who, for instance, felt safer from physical violence in cities where the air is less healthy.	“I like urban green spaces because I like people around, and I feel safer with people around” “The industrial side … the quality of the air could be a lot worse … there’ll be more pollution, and it might not be as healthy for you as, say, you lived and worked in a rural environment.”
Mental health and wellbeing	Mental health and wellbeing was often cited as a primary outcome that a healthy environment can have for people. Often, when referring to a ‘healthy environment’, participants reflected on the benefits to their mental health and wellbeing.	“Being out in a green space really helped my mental health. Where I live, it’s quite green, quite quiet. It’s not urban at all. And when I go to university in London it’s really overwhelming for me.” “You could see for a good few hundred metres … even if it was an urban environment, as long as you weren’t kind of closed in by buildings and stuff like that … as long as you feel you have some kind of space in front of you, then it can lead to a person feeling more relaxed and, in turn, maybe being slightly more healthy.”