Exposure to neighborhood green space and mental health: evidence from the survey of the health of Wisconsin. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2014 Mar 21;11(3):3453-72
Date
03/26/2014Pubmed ID
24662966Pubmed Central ID
PMC3987044DOI
10.3390/ijerph110303453Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84897873118 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 522 CitationsAbstract
Green space is now widely viewed as a health-promoting characteristic of residential environments, and has been linked to mental health benefits such as recovery from mental fatigue and reduced stress, particularly through experimental work in environmental psychology. Few population level studies have examined the relationships between green space and mental health. Further, few studies have considered the role of green space in non-urban settings. This study contributes a population-level perspective from the United States to examine the relationship between environmental green space and mental health outcomes in a study area that includes a spectrum of urban to rural environments. Multivariate survey regression analyses examine the association between green space and mental health using the unique, population-based Survey of the Health of Wisconsin database. Analyses were adjusted for length of residence in the neighborhood to reduce the impact of neighborhood selection bias. Higher levels of neighborhood green space were associated with significantly lower levels of symptomology for depression, anxiety and stress, after controlling for a wide range of confounding factors. Results suggest that "greening" could be a potential population mental health improvement strategy in the United States.
Author List
Beyer KM, Kaltenbach A, Szabo A, Bogar S, Nieto FJ, Malecki KMAuthors
Kirsten M. Beyer PhD, MPH Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of WisconsinAniko Szabo PhD Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Anxiety
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression
Female
Humans
Linear Models
Male
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Nature
Public Facilities
Residence Characteristics
Socioeconomic Factors
Stress, Psychological
Trees
Wisconsin
Young Adult
