Occupation in Natural Environments; Health Equity and Environmental Justice

Abstract

Background. Occupations undertaken in natural environments can positively impact physical and mental health, improve cognitive functioning, contribute spiritual and cultural benefits, and increase belonging, self-worth, and the meaningfulness of occupations. However, occupational opportunities in healthy natural spaces are inequitably distributed; and the deleterious effects of climate change and environmental degradation are borne disproportionately by socioeconomically disadvantaged people. Purposes. To highlight evidence that occupational engagement in nature is a determinant of health, foreground environmental injustices and identify some implications for occupational therapy. Key issues. Cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural research and critical environmental justice scholarship indicate that healthy nature is an inequitably distributed determinant of occupation, wellbeing, and human health. This merits critical attention from occupational therapy. Implications. By researching, identifying, and addressing occupational and health inequities arising from environmental degradation, climate change and inequitable access to health-promoting natural environments occupational therapists could contribute valuable, occupational perspectives to initiatives addressing human rights and environmental justice.

Architectural Design Qualities of an Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital to Benefit Patients and Staff

“…Connection and access to the natural environment can positively impact physical and mental health of individuals by improving cognitive abilities, increasing the sense of belonging and self-worth ( Hammell, 2021 ), helping patients focus on their inner healing resources, and offering staff a place of respite and visitors a relaxed setting to interact with loved ones ( Marcus, 2007 ). Designing a connection to the natural environment in an adolescent psychiatric hospital can be accomplished through biophilic design with the goal of providing a healing environment that promotes well-being for staff and patients.…”

Multiscale Impact of Environmental and Socio-Economic Factors on Low Physical Fitness among Chinese Adolescents and Regionalized Coping Strategies

“…Studies on health and climate and the natural environment have shown that health and the natural environment are inextricably linked [ 88 , 89 ]. As society develops, the natural environment is constantly changing the way humans produce and live, balancing the material and energy exchange between humans and the environment [ 28 ].…”

Moving from theory to practice in occupational therapy education for planetary health: A theoretical view

“…There is insufficient prompting to consider humans' impact on the environment, nor to address the essential ethical question of legitimacy of enabling occupations that are incompatible with ecosystem preservation (Drolet et al, 2020). Moreover, questioning is needed to address inequitable access to health‐promoting occupational engagement in natural environments (Hammell, 2021). The concept of ecopation presumes that “humans have to, and are able to, change their thinking, ethics and lifestyles to increasingly reach a more sustainable way of living that has the potential to bring well‐being and wealth to an increasing proportion of the world's inhabitants” (Persson & Erlandsson, 2014, p. 20).…”

“…Wider adoption of this view may address concerns regarding the Western tendency to separate self from nature in the pursuit of technological development while ignoring the fact that exploitation of energy and matter is nonreversible (Huesemann, 2002). Furthermore, questioning is needed to address climate injustice as expressed in the inequitable access to health‐promoting occupational engagement in natural environments (Hammell, 2021; Sultana, 2022).…”

“…Adopting additional refinements within health‐care education is necessary. For example, consideration of poverty alleviation (Persson & Erlandsson, 2014) or the 3Fs (finitude, fragility, and fairness) (Nagendra, 2018) or realigning policies and strategies for disease prevention and health‐care promotion within sustainable development (Potvin & Jones, 2011) can help to address the challenges of social injustice inherent in planetary health and climate justice (Nagendra, 2018: Hammell, 2021).…”