Database

Brief based on the work by Jay Maddock and Nooshin Razani 'Nature Contact as a Health Behavior: Steps to Maturing the Field'

What keeps people from following doctors’ orders to spend more time in nature? A new international study uncovers key barriers—from weather to social support—facing participants in nature prescription programs across five countries, with surprising trends by age, education, and income.

This study reveals that environmental factors, or the "exposome," have a greater overall impact on aging and premature death than genetics. Analyzing UK Biobank data, researchers identified 25 key exposures linked to mortality and biological aging. While genetics played a stronger role in some cancers and dementias, environmental factors were more influential in heart, lung, and liver diseases—highlighting the powerful role of lifestyle and environment in shaping aging and disease risk.

This study explored the experiences of high-achieving low-income high school students in a weekend outdoor adventure program designed to build leadership. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: growth, connectedness, and team building. Findings support previous research and offer guidance for future practice and study.

This work outlines the suggested steps for maturing the emergent field of nature and health, drawing parallels from the physical activity playbook developed in the 1990s..

Urban planning plays a key role in public health, particularly in addressing cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in cities worldwide. This literature review examines how features of the built environment, especially green spaces and walkability, influence heart health. Studies show that neighborhoods with accessible parks and safe, walkable streets are linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease. The findings support urban planning strategies that prioritize green infrastructure and walkable design to improve cardiovascular health and overall quality of life for city residents.

The purpose of this qualitative constructivist grounded theory study was to develop a model to explain potential mechanisms of change in the nature-based pediatric occupational therapy process, based on analysis of the perspectives of occupational therapy practitioners currently engaging in nature-based practice with children.

This study explores how children experience two different locations at Oslo University Hospital in terms of their architectural design and emotional potential. Overall, the children prefer architectural spaces with direct contact to nature or design that mimics natural environments, in addition to being exciting, friendly, and intimate.

This study explores how Earth-centered experiential group counseling supports Native American university students in deepening cultural awareness, identity, and connection to nature. Through group sessions and focus groups, participants engaged in activities rooted in NA traditions, revealing shared themes of interconnectedness, belonging, and tribal identity. The findings highlight the power of culturally grounded group work in fostering healing and self-understanding.

Spending time in nature is known to boost well-being—but what about the scents we may not even notice? A new study highlights how natural odors, from pine trees to plant-emitted chemicals, could influence our health in profound ways. As pollution and biodiversity loss threaten these "smellscapes," scientists are calling for a deeper exploration of nature’s olfactory impact.

As the planet faces rapid ecological shifts, our sense of smell—often overlooked—plays a vital role in how these changes impact human health and well-being. This article explores how natural scents influence emotions, cognition, social connection, and even inflammation. Drawing on diverse scientific perspectives, the authors present a new framework linking olfaction, nature, and human health—offering fresh insights for policy and environmental decision-making.

Ecosystems play an important role in supporting public health, but their connection to social health needs is not fully understood. This study examined how natural ecosystems like forests and rangelands, and artificial ones like parks and gardens, contribute to five dimensions of health: physical, mental, spiritual, social, and environmental. Results showed that natural ecosystems best support mental, spiritual, and environmental health, while artificial ecosystems are more effective for physical and social health due to accessibility. The study suggests improving urban ecosystems by enhancing elements such as silence and beauty to better support mental well-being.

Beekeeping may offer more than environmental benefits, as it can also positively influence human wellbeing. This study examines how caring for bees affected the emotional, psychological, and social lives of Irish farmers involved in the Let it Bee project. In-depth interviews revealed five key themes, including pride in environmental efforts, stronger connections with nature and community, a sense of purpose, personal growth, and the use of individual strengths. The results suggest that beekeeping can support both ecological sustainability and human health.

Greenspace is a critical feature of a healthy built environment. Exposure to greenspace fosters improved wellness and health among living organisms. This paper introduces the Health: Epigenetics, Greenspace, and Stress (HEGS) conceptual model which seeks to provide greater understanding of these processes and to identify key gaps in the field regarding the epigenetic influences underlying how greenspace exposure impacts stress and health.

How do we help seriously and chronically ill children and adolescents find hope and courage to get through illness and treatment? How do we greet them? What surroundings and activities do we offer them? And how may these greetings, surroundings, and activities facilitate a belief in their own capacity to help themselves? The Outdoor Care Retreat is a cabin bordering the hospital ground created to meet the needs of admitted patients and their families.

Large-scale commercial farmers and small scale “hobby” farmers engage in growing crops for subsistence and survival for themselves, their families, communities, and beyond. We suggest there may be a collective physical, emotional, and spiritual draw to farming that is interwoven with occupational engagement. With an increasing interest in community practice as well as environmental and social sustainability, occupational therapy’s role in supporting the farming community is important to consider.

Place attachment and meaning are important, though rarely acknowledged, contributors to personal mental health and community cohesion.

Concern about humanity’s detachment from nature has spawned a global push to increase the availability of green spaces within cities.

The conflict and discord between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois regarding their premise and approach to racial uplift for Black Americans have been very well documented.

This study compares the experience of therapy in the Outdoor Care Retreat (OCR)—an architect-designed cabin in a natural setting behind the Oslo University Hospital in Norway—with therapy in a traditional hospital setting.