WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A 12-week program involving nature-based activities, such as gardening, care farming, and outdoor mindfulness, significantly improved the mental health of more than 200 people in England.
The results come from a UK government-supported initiative focused on 'green social prescribing,' which aims to enhance mental health care through community-based, nature-oriented interventions. Seven pilot programs were launched across England, with Humber and North Yorkshire being the first to report findings.
Over 220 participants took part in structured outdoor sessions, including horticulture, care farming, physical activity, outdoor crafts, and mindfulness practices. Their mental health was evaluated before and after participation, using the Office of National Statistics well-being measures and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
The evaluation, published in Health & Social Care in the Community, was a collaboration between the HEY Smile Foundation and NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Participants engaged in the program for varying duration - from as little as one week to up to 12 weeks. Those who joined for longer periods (nine to twelve weeks), especially in horticulture and care farming, showed the most notable improvements in mood and anxiety levels. These benefits were greater than those seen in shorter-term involvement or in activities like outdoor crafts, creative workshops, or sports.
The improvements observed were on par with outcomes from short-term cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which often involves several weeks or months of one-on-one counseling.
Positive outcomes were consistent across all age groups, from 18 to 85, and among both men and women. The study's authors are now calling for increased investment in green social prescribing and the recruitment of more link workers to help GPs and healthcare professionals refer patients to such nature-based programs.
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