'Lifts your spirits, lifts your mind' : a co-produced mixed-methods exploration of the benefits of green and blue spaces for mental wellbeing
McCartan, Claire and Davidson, Gavin and Bradley, Liam and Greer, Katherine and Knifton, Lee and Mulholland, Aodán and Webb, Paul and White, Chris (2023) 'Lifts your spirits, lifts your mind' : a co-produced mixed-methods exploration of the benefits of green and blue spaces for mental wellbeing. Health Expectations, 26 (4). pp. 1679-1691. ISSN 1369-7625 (https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13773)
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Abstract
Introduction: Mental health problems are a considerable public health issue and spending time in nature has been promoted as a way to access a range of psychological benefits leading to the development of nature-based interventions for people with severe and enduring mental health problems. Less, however, is understood about the potential benefits and efficacy of day-to-day routine access to outdoor green and blue spaces for mental health service users. Methods: Using a mixed-methods design between April and October 2021, we explored the benefits and barriers to spending time outdoors with a purposive sample of mental health service users (N = 11) using qualitative interviews and an online general population survey (N = 1791). Qualitative evidence highlighted the restorative benefits of nature and identified a number of barriers associated with fears around personal safety, social anxiety, fatigue and lack of motivation. COVID-19 had also restricted access to green and blue spaces. Having social contact and support encouraged people to spend time outdoors. In the quantitative survey, self-report and standardised measures (the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Warwick–Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale) were used to assess past and current mental wellbeing. Findings: Statistically significant differences were found between wellbeing and the use of green and blue spaces. Those with mental health problems spent time outdoors because they: felt guilty; wanted to reduce their anxiety; or rely on someone for encouragement. Those without mental health problems endorsed more positively framed reasons including relaxation, improving physical health or getting exercise. Barriers for people with mental health problems involved safety concerns, feeling anxious and having a poor self-image. These findings give insight into motivations for an outdoor activity to help inform the design of public mental health interventions. Conclusion: Further work is required to improve access and safety to promote the benefits of green and blue spaces for everyone. Patient or Public Contribution: The research team included expert experienced researchers with a mental health service provider (Praxis Care) and they were involved in the development of the research idea, funding application, design, data collection, analysis, writing up and dissemination activities.
ORCID iDs
McCartan, Claire, Davidson, Gavin, Bradley, Liam, Greer, Katherine, Knifton, Lee ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2227-7305, Mulholland, Aodán, Webb, Paul and White, Chris;-
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Item type: Article ID code: 85680 Dates: DateEventAugust 2023Published1 May 2023Published Online18 April 2023AcceptedSubjects: Medicine > Public aspects of medicine > Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine Department: Strategic Research Themes > Society and Policy
Strathclyde Business School > Management ScienceDepositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 02 Jun 2023 13:44 Last modified: 22 Sep 2024 01:20 URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/85680