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Moving to Serene Nature May Prevent Poor Mental Health-Results from a Swedish Longitudinal Cohort Study.

van den Bosch, Matilda Annerstedt ; Östergren, Per-Olof LU ; Grahn, Patrik ; Skärbäck, Erik and Währborg, Peter (2015) In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12(7). p.7974-7989
Abstract
Green spaces are recognized for improving mental health, but what particular kind of nature is required is yet not elucidated. This study explores the effect of specific types of recreational nature qualities on mental health. Longitudinal data (1999/2000 and 2005) from a public health survey was distributed to a stratified sample (n = 24,945) of a Swedish population. People from rural or suburban areas (n = 9230) who had moved between baseline and follow-up (n = 1419) were studied. Individual geographic residence codes were linked to five predefined nature qualities, classified in geographic information systems (GIS). Any change in the amount of or type of qualities within 300 m distance between baseline and follow-up was correlated to... (More)
Green spaces are recognized for improving mental health, but what particular kind of nature is required is yet not elucidated. This study explores the effect of specific types of recreational nature qualities on mental health. Longitudinal data (1999/2000 and 2005) from a public health survey was distributed to a stratified sample (n = 24,945) of a Swedish population. People from rural or suburban areas (n = 9230) who had moved between baseline and follow-up (n = 1419) were studied. Individual geographic residence codes were linked to five predefined nature qualities, classified in geographic information systems (GIS). Any change in the amount of or type of qualities within 300 m distance between baseline and follow-up was correlated to any change in mental health (as measured by the General Health Questionnaire) by logistic regression models. On average, the population had limited access to nature qualities both pre- and post-move. There was no significant correlation between change in the amount of qualities and change in mental health. However, the specific quality "serene" was a significant determinant with a significantly decreased risk for women of change to mental ill-health at follow-up. The objective definition of the potentially health-promoting quality may facilitate implication in landscape practice and healthy planning. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
volume
12
issue
7
pages
7974 - 7989
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:26184268
  • wos:000359342300061
  • scopus:84937501067
  • pmid:26184268
ISSN
1660-4601
DOI
10.3390/ijerph120707974
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a5e9ec6a-fc27-4451-97d5-07798a02f249 (old id 7749319)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26184268?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:03:32
date last changed
2022-01-26 05:05:08
@article{a5e9ec6a-fc27-4451-97d5-07798a02f249,
  abstract     = {{Green spaces are recognized for improving mental health, but what particular kind of nature is required is yet not elucidated. This study explores the effect of specific types of recreational nature qualities on mental health. Longitudinal data (1999/2000 and 2005) from a public health survey was distributed to a stratified sample (n = 24,945) of a Swedish population. People from rural or suburban areas (n = 9230) who had moved between baseline and follow-up (n = 1419) were studied. Individual geographic residence codes were linked to five predefined nature qualities, classified in geographic information systems (GIS). Any change in the amount of or type of qualities within 300 m distance between baseline and follow-up was correlated to any change in mental health (as measured by the General Health Questionnaire) by logistic regression models. On average, the population had limited access to nature qualities both pre- and post-move. There was no significant correlation between change in the amount of qualities and change in mental health. However, the specific quality "serene" was a significant determinant with a significantly decreased risk for women of change to mental ill-health at follow-up. The objective definition of the potentially health-promoting quality may facilitate implication in landscape practice and healthy planning.}},
  author       = {{van den Bosch, Matilda Annerstedt and Östergren, Per-Olof and Grahn, Patrik and Skärbäck, Erik and Währborg, Peter}},
  issn         = {{1660-4601}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{7974--7989}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}},
  title        = {{Moving to Serene Nature May Prevent Poor Mental Health-Results from a Swedish Longitudinal Cohort Study.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2346434/8596374.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/ijerph120707974}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}