Natural environments, psychosocial health, and health behaviors in a crisis – A scoping review of the literature in the COVID-19 context

Nigg, Carina; Petersen, Evi; MacIntyre, Tadhg

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102009

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 291 publications

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“…Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to natural environments offers extensive physical and psychological benefits ( 18 ). These effects have been observed in various study designs, including experimental, ecological, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The emphasis on green space in previous reviews has been consistent. However, other forms of nature, such as blue space [e.g., rivers or lakes; Britton et al, 2020 as cited in Nigg et al ( 18 )], green infrastructure, which pertains to a deliberate network of open spaces, and digital nature experiences ( 18 ) have unfortunately been overlooked.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The existence of common green spaces also has been reported to create communication between neighbors, increase support and participation between people, and reduce the feeling of isolation among older adults ( 16 ). In the United Kingdom, a study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the size of the garden and the health of older adults, and it showed that people with larger gardens that they tended to themselves had better general health [Brindley et al, 2018, as cited in Dzhambov et al ( 16 )] and improved dietary intake [Davis et al, 2011; Beavers et al, 2020, as cited in Nigg et al ( 18 )], it may be sustained effects on healthy eating behaviors ( 18 ). Studies found that more older adults visited regional parks with large areas after COVID-19.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The spread of COVID-19 has also led to increased social stigma and discriminatory behaviors against specific ethnic backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, and marginalized groups ( 46 ). A qualitative study conducted in Mexico during COVID-19 found that women reported fear of violence as a hindrance to positive wellbeing experiences when visiting urban parks [Huerta and Cafagna, 2021, as cited in Nigg et al ( 18 )].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Urban green spaces, water bodies, private gardens, and visual experiences are linked to these benefits. Nature connections also reduce the risk of psychiatric disorders [Bratman et al, 2019; Enge-mann et al, 2019; Tost et al, 2019; De Bell et al, 2020; Jarvis et al, 2021; White et al, 2020; ( 6 ) as cited in Nigg et al ( 18 )]. COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of engagement with green spaces to cope with the stress of the virus' danger and the physical constraints imposed in response ( 19 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Green space and the health of the older adult during pandemics: a narrative review on the experience of COVID-19

Tabrizi,

Lak,

Moussavi.A

2023

Front. Public Health

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IntroductionAging is an inevitable process that leads to changes in various dimensions of older adult life, including physical, psychological, and social aspects. Unfortunately, older adults are more susceptible to health problems caused by adverse experiences such as the Corona outbreak.AimThe current study examines the lived experience of older adults in facing the conditions of the Corona epidemic to see how green spaces at various scales can influence the physical and mental health of this group.MethodRelevant articles published, from 2019 to February 17, 2023, were searched using in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Eligible studies published in English and all studies passed a quality evaluation.ResultIn the final search, 40 articles were selected and analyzed. The majority of studies conducted during the pandemic categorized the impact of green spaces on the health of older adults into three main categories: Place-based attribute, Process, and Function.ConclusionThe findings of this study demonstrated that people were using private green spaces (gardens, balconies, etc.), small local green public spaces, sitting and gathering spaces in the neighborhood, nearby open spaces, and urban green-blue spaces throughout the epidemic era. They visited green spaces outside the city and urban areas, including urban gardens, agricultural areas, forestlands, and pastures. In this research, we investigated the characteristics of these spaces and classified them into four physical categories: urban landscape, land use, activity, movement, and accessibility. The results showed that exposure to nature or green space improved physical and mental health and increased attention and decision-making quality in older people. We have proposed design implications recommendations for crises to improve safety, security, and social capital by increasing the safe access of older adults to diverse and high-quality green spaces on different scales, which will ultimately enhance the physical and mental health of people in different age groups.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%