Nature–Based Interventions for Improving Health and Wellbeing: The Purpose, the People and the Outcomes

Summary & key facts

Researchers asked 19 experts from seven countries to agree on the kinds of health programs that use nature. They identified 27 different nature-based interventions. These interventions either change the places people live, work or heal (for example, adding parks or hospital gardens) or they try to change what people do (for example, organised outdoor programmes). The experts said these interventions aim to prevent illness, boost wellbeing, or help treat physical, mental or social problems. The researchers also warned that things like urban living and social inequality affect whether these programs can help, and that more research is needed to know what makes them work best.

Key facts:

• The study brought together 19 experts from seven countries to find out what nature-based health interventions exist and what they aim to do.
• The experts identified 27 different nature-based interventions, not just one single program.
• The interventions fall into two broad types: changing the environment (for example, adding parks or gardens) and changing behaviour (for example, organised outdoor activities).
• These interventions are intended to prevent illness, promote general wellbeing, or help treat specific physical, mental, or social health issues.
• The paper says that fewer or poorer experiences of nature—because of city living or environmental damage—make these interventions more important but also harder to deliver.
• The authors note that factors like people’s income, neighbourhood, and access to nature will affect whether an intervention actually helps, and they call for more research to find the key drivers of success.

Abstract

Engagement with nature is an important part of many people's lives, and the health and wellbeing benefits of nature-based activities are becoming increasingly recognised across disciplines from city planning to medicine. Despite this, urbanisation, challenges of modern life and environmental degradation are leading to a reduction in both the quantity and the quality of nature experiences. Nature-based health interventions (NBIs) can facilitate behavioural change through a somewhat structured promotion of nature-based experiences and, in doing so, promote improved physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. We conducted a Delphi expert elicitation process with 19 experts from seven countries (all named authors on this paper) to identify the different forms that such interventions take, the potential health outcomes and the target beneficiaries. In total, 27 NBIs were identified, aiming to prevent illness, promote wellbeing and treat specific physical, mental or social health and wellbeing conditions. These interventions were broadly categorized into those that change the environment in which people live, work, learn, recreate or heal (for example, the provision of gardens in hospitals or parks in cities) and those that change behaviour (for example, engaging people through organized programmes or other activities). We also noted the range of factors (such as socioeconomic variation) that will inevitably influence the extent to which these interventions succeed. We conclude with a call for research to identify the drivers influencing the effectiveness of NBIs in enhancing health and wellbeing.

Topics

Climate Change and Health Impacts Noise Effects and Management Urban Green Space and Health

Categories

Environmental Science Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis Physical Sciences

Tags

Applied psychology Delphi method Environmental health Health promotion Law Mathematics Medicine Mental health Nursing Political science Politics Population Promotion (chess) Psychiatry Psychological intervention Psychology Public health Public relations Quality of life (healthcare) Socioeconomic status Statistics

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