scholarly journals Is Wellbeing Associated with Time Spent in Nature?

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E Rodgers ◽  
Francis Rowney ◽  
Daniel Thompson ◽  
Amy Mizen ◽  
Mathew White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Additive Models ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Health And Wellbeing

IntroductionGreen and blue spaces (GBS), such as parks, woodlands, rivers, and beaches, are thought to be important for mental health and wellbeing. Our longitudinal cohort contains objective household-level environment data linked at the invidual level to routinely recorded mental health data, augmented with cross sectional self-reported health behaviours, including leisure visits to the outdoors. Objectives and ApproachOur overall approach will evaluate if residential proximity to GBS is associated with mental health and wellbeing, and if any associations aremodified by visits to outdoors spaces following individual-level data linkage. Here, we examined cross-sectional survey data on time spent visiting nature outdoors. Wellbeing outcomes were assessed using self-reported scores. Data were analysed using generalised additive models in the SAIL Databank. ResultsUsing a sample of National Survey for Wales respondents (2016/17, n=3,481), over 40% of adults in Wales reported spending less than 30 minutes outdoors each week. Weekly time outdoors was positively associated with wellbeing (p=0.007) and life satisfaction (p=0.03) having adjusted for potential confounders including, age, rurality, loneliness, employment status. Confidence intervals varied along the fitted GAM model. Models using a second wave of survey data (n≈7,000), anonymously record-linked to residential environment and health data will explore these associations further. ConclusionA previous study based in England (White et al. 2019) found an upper wellbeing benefit threshold of 2 hours per week for time spent in nature. This was not apparent in our preliminary models, but may be revealed in further analyses. We will next incorporate longitudinal mental health and environmental data for 2 million adults living in Wales, UK. Linking to ambient and accessible residential GBS, while taking into account changes due to migration and actual visits, will allow us to provide valuable guidance to local government, who are often responsible for provisioning and maintaining outdoor facilities.

scholarly journals Rationale and methods for a cross-sectional study of mental health and wellbeing following river flooding in rural Australia, using a community-academic partnership approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Longman ◽  
J. Bennett-Levy ◽  
V. Matthews ◽  
H. L. Berry ◽  
M. E. Passey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
River Flooding ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flood Exposure ◽  
Partnership Approach ◽  
Rural Australia

Abstract Background Climate change is associated with greater frequency, duration, intensity and unpredictability of certain weather-related events, including floods. Floods harm mental health. There is limited understanding of the mental health and well-being effects from river flooding, particularly over the longer term and in rural contexts. This paper describes the rationale, aims, objectives, study design and socio-demographic characteristics of the sample for a study measuring associations between flood experience and mental health and wellbeing of residents (particularly those most likely to be negatively impacted and hard to reach) in rural NSW Australia 6 months following a devastating flood in 2017. To our knowledge, the study is the first of its kind within Australia in a rural community and is an important initiative given the likelihood of an increasing frequency of severe flooding in Australia given climate change. Methods A conceptual framework (The Flood Impact Framework) drawing on social ecological approaches was developed by the research team. It was based on the literature and feedback from the community. The Framework describes putative relationships between flood exposure and mental health and wellbeing outcomes. Within a community-academic partnership approach, a cross-sectional survey was then undertaken to quantify and further explore these relationships. Results The cross-sectional survey was conducted online (including on mobile phone) and on paper between September and November 2017 and recruited 2530 respondents. Of those, 2180 provided complete demographic data, among whom 69% were women, 91% were aged 25–74, 4% identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, 9% were farmers and 33% were business owners. Conclusions The study recruited a wide range of respondents and the partnership facilitated the community’s engagement with the design and implementation of the study. The study will provide a basis for a follow-up study, that will aim to improve the understanding of mental health and wellbeing effects over the longer term. It will provide an important and original contribution to understanding river flooding and mental health in rural Australia, a topic that will grow in importance in the context of human-induced climate change, and identify critical opportunities to strengthen services, emergency planning and resilience to future flooding.

scholarly journals Psychological impact of COVID-19 in the Swedish population: Depression, anxiety, and insomnia and their associations to risk and vulnerability factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance M. McCracken ◽  
Farzaneh Badinlou ◽  
Monica Buhrman ◽  
Karin C. Brocki
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Vulnerability Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Swedish Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health And Wellbeing

Abstract Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, with its associated restrictions on daily life, is like a perfect storm for poor mental health and wellbeing. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing during the ongoing pandemic in Sweden. Method: Standardized measures of depression, anxiety, and insomnia as well as measures of risk and vulnerability factors known to be associated with poor mental health outcomes were administered through a national, online, cross-sectional survey (n = 1,212; mean age 36.1 years; 73% women). Result: Our findings show significant levels of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in Sweden, at rates of 30%, 24.2%, and 38%, respectively. The strongest predictors of these outcomes included poor self-rated overall health and a history of mental health problems. The presence of COVID-19 symptoms and specific health and financial worries related to the pandemic also appeared important. Conclusions: The impacts of COVID-19 on mental health in Sweden are comparable to impacts shown in previous studies in Italy and China. Importantly, the pandemic seems to impose most on the mental health of those already burdened with the impacts of mental health problems. These results provide a basis for providing more support for vulnerable groups, and for developing psychological interventions suited to the ongoing pandemic and for similar events in the future.

scholarly journals The Effect of Pets on Human Mental Health and Wellbeing during COVID-19 Lockdown in Malaysia

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2689
Author(s):  
Dasha Grajfoner ◽  
Guek Nee Ke ◽  
Rachel Mei Ming Wong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Pet Owners

The adverse impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) on mental and physical health has been witnessed across the globe. Associated mental health and wellbeing issues include stress, social isolation, boredom, and anxiety. Research suggests human–animal interactions may improve the overall wellbeing of an individual. However, this has been less explored in Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and the present study examined the effect of pets on the mental health and wellbeing of Malaysians during the lockdown, or movement control order (MCO), due to COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was carried out, with 448 Malaysian participants, who completed online assessments for psychological outcomes, psychological wellbeing, positive–negative emotions, resilience, and coping self-efficacy. Results indicate that pet owners reported significantly better coping self-efficacy, significantly more positive emotions, and better psychological wellbeing, but contrary to expectations, there was no differences on other measures. Among pet owners, cat owners reported more positive emotions and greater wellbeing than dog owners. The results show that that pets have some impact on improved psychological health of their owners and could be integrated into recovery frameworks for promoting mental health and wellbeing.

scholarly journals Co-producing a typology for Green and Blue spaces for a longitudinal, national dataset of Green and Blue spaces

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Mizen ◽  
Richard Fry ◽  
Ben Wheeler ◽  
Sarah Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Rural Environments ◽  
Government Planning ◽  
The Impact

Background with rationaleSpending time in green-blue spaces (GBS) is beneficial for mental health and wellbeing. There are few longitudinal studies, and definitions of GBS differ within academic studies and between policy, practice and research. Main AimQuantify the impact of longitudinal exposure to GBS on wellbeing and common mental health disorders, for a national population (2008-2018) for use in a population-wide natural experiment. MethodsWe co-produced a GBS typology with planners and policy makers at a day-long workshop using validated public participation methods. Using this typology, we built a national, longitudinal GBS dataset created from local government audits and satellite data for 1.4 million homes in Wales, UK. Results produced a nested national typology to define GBS that built on previous academic literature and considered policy and local government planning priorities. The typology differentiated between inland and coastal GBS and facilities available at the GBS e.g. benches, public toilets etc. We created a national, longitudinal dataset of GBS and a cross-sectional dataset of household-level access to GBS for 2018. Access to GBS varied by socio-economic status, urban/rural classification and type of GBS. ConclusionWe worked with policy and planners to produce a typology that will enable us to translate our findings to be used in evidence based policy and planning. We will use the dataset to create quarterly household access to GBS for eleven years (2008-2018). We will link GBS access scores to individual level mental health for 1.7 million people with primary care data and survey data (n = ~12,000) on wellbeing. The results from the wider study will inform the planning and management of GBS in urban and rural environments and contribute to international work on impacts of the built environment on mental health and wellbeing.

scholarly journals Mental health and quality of residential environment

2007 ◽  
Vol 191 (6) ◽  
pp. 500-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hollie Thomas ◽  
Nikki Weaver ◽  
Joanne Patterson ◽  
Phil Jones ◽  
Truda Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Common Mental Disorder ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Residential Environment ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Geographical Accessibility ◽  
Unexplained Variation

BackgroundThere is increasing interest in the proposition that residential environment can affect mental health.AimsTo study the degree to which common mental disorder clusters according to postcode units and households. To investigate whether contextual measures of residential environment quality and geographical accessibility are associated with symptoms of common mental disorder.MethodA total of 1058 individuals aged 16–75 years (response rate 66%) participated in a cross-sectional survey The 12-item General Health Questionnaire measured symptoms of common mental disorder.ResultsOnly 2% (95% CI 0–6) of the unexplained variation in symptoms existed at postcode unit level, whereas 37% (95% CI 27–49) existed at household-level, but the postcode unit variation was reduced to zero after adjustments. There was little evidence to suggest that residential quality or accessibility were associated with symptoms.ConclusionsThere was substantial unexplained variation at the household level but we could find no evidence of postcode unit variation and no association with residential environmental quality or geographical accessibility. It is likely that the psychosocial environment is more important than the physical environment in relation to common mental disorder.

scholarly journals Association between blue and green space availability with mental health and wellbeing

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiao Song ◽  
Richard Fry ◽  
Amy Mizen ◽  
Ashley Akbari ◽  
Benedict Wheeler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Environmental Planning ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Health And Wellbeing

IntroductionGreen-blue spaces (GBS), such as parks, woodlands, and beaches, may be beneficial for population mental health and wellbeing. However, there are few longitudinal studies on the association between GBS and mental health and wellbeing, and few that incorporate network analysis as opposed to simple Euclidian proximity. Objectives and ApproachWe are examining the association between the availability of GBS with wellbeing and common mental health disorders. We will use geographic information systems (GIS) to create quarterly household level GBS availability data using digital map and satellite data (2008-2018) for over 1 million homes in Wales, United Kingdom. We will link GBS availability to individual level mental health (1.7 million people with General Practitioner (GP) data) and data from the National Survey for Wales (n = 24,000) on wellbeing (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS)) using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) databank. ResultsWe created an historic dataset of GBS availability using road network and path data to create quarterly household level GBS exposures (2008-2018). We tested Residential Anonymised Linking Fields (RALFs) and accurately linked 97\% of individuals and their health data to their home and GBS exposure. The 1.65 million exposure-health data pairs, updated quarterly, will enable a longitudinal panel study to be built. Using GP recorded data on treatments, diagnoses, symptoms and prescriptions for mental health problems we identified 35,000 people had a common mental health disorder in 2016, and 24,000 people answered the National Survey for Wales questions about their wellbeing and use of GBS. We will explore how house moves, and visits to GBS change the association between GBS availability and outcomes. Conclusion/ImplicationsThis study fills the gap in the evidence base around environmental planning policy to shape living environments to benefit health. It will inform the planning and management of GBS in urban and rural environments and contribute to international work on impacts of the built environment on mental health and wellbeing.

The mental health of Australian medical practitioners during Covid-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 103985622110108
Author(s):  
Michelle Anne Adams ◽  
Matthew Brazel ◽  
Richard Thomson ◽  
Hannah Lake
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Junior Doctor ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Mental Health Diagnosis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Psychological Distress Scale ◽  
Distress Scale ◽  
Health Diagnosis

Objectives: To ascertain whether doctors were experiencing higher rates of distress during Covid-19 and whether this was impacted by demographic factors. Our hypotheses were that being a junior doctor, having a previous mental health diagnosis and treating Covid-19 positive patients would predict higher rates of distress. Methods: Cross-sectional survey conducted via Survey Monkey. Voluntary participants were recruited from the mailing list of a national-based referral service for doctors to psychiatrists. Distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Demographic factors were analysed for predictive value of a higher rating on the K10. Areas of concern in relation to Covid-19 and preference for support services were measured on a Likert scale and compared to levels of distress. Results: The rate of very high distress was 15%. Being a junior doctor and having a previous mental health diagnosis were predictive factors of a higher K10 score. K10 was not affected by likelihood of contact with Covid-19-positive patients. Social isolation had a larger impact on mental health in the context of a previous psychiatric diagnosis. Face-to-face assessments were preferred. Conclusions: Rates of distress in doctors have been higher than baseline during Covid-19. Some groups have been particularly vulnerable.

scholarly journals Mental Health of COVID-19 Patients—A Cross-Sectional Survey in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4758
Author(s):  
Hasan Saeed Alamri ◽  
Wesam F. Mousa ◽  
Abdullah Algarni ◽  
Shehata F. Megahid ◽  
Ali Al Bshabshe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Patients Experience ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

Background: This study aims to investigate the mental health of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out targeting confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Due to travel and time constraints as well as the accessibility of patients, cases were included from East Jeddah Hospital, King Abdulaziz Hospital, and the Oncology Center in Jeddah. The data were collected using a predesigned self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed COVID-19 cases, personal data, medical history, smoking, traveling abroad, and work-related conditions. Additionally, data regarding contact level with COVID-19 cases were considered. The mental health statuses of the patients were assessed using a validated Arabic version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. The study included 261 COVID-19 patients whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years. Results: The survey findings revealed that 13% of COVID-19 patients had a borderline level of anxiety, 26.8% were considered anxiety cases, while 60.2% were normal. The findings also revealed that 29.9% had a borderline level of depression, 18.4% were considered depression cases, while 51.7% were normal. Conclusions: This study concluded that COVID-19 patients experience anxiety and depression, and as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread, the results of the study are particularly useful in developing a strategy to psychologically support COVID-19 patients.

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