Advancing GReencare in Europe: a multi-scalar approach to improve Mental health Equity (the GreenME project)

Cole, Helen V.s.; Caputo, Silvio; Specht, Kathrin; Giedych, Renata; Kaemper, Runrid Fox; Cook, Penny; Rademacher, Eva; Gawryszewska, Beata; Dostuni, Michele; Luciano, Juan V.; Guizzo, Agnieszka Olszewska; Hedblom, Marcus; Mitchell, Gary; Neuberger, Konrad; Cau, Petra Ellora; Bubbico, Giovanna; Johnston, Hilary; Creus, Eva; Soler, Albert Feliu; Hardman, Michael; Sieber, Raphael; Howarth, Michelle; Bas, Gauthier; Cohen, Nevin; Mas, Margarita Triguero

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: There is burgeoning evidence that green care (viewed on a continuum that includes nature-in-everyday-life, nature-based health promotion, and nature-based therapy) can be used to promote mental health and wellbeing particularly for underprivileged populations. However, there is a lack of large-scale studies and of research on health inequities beyond inequitable access and distributive justice dimensions. Moreover, the causal mechanisms linking nature-based therapies to health (equity) are not well understood and nature-based therapies are rarely investigated as an integrated part of healthcare systems, exploring if such programs are accessible to all, how they are financed, and how patients find their way to them. GreenME identifies ways in which effective green care can be scaled-up to improve adult mental health and wellbeing equity while contributing to multiple socio-ecological co-benefits. METHOD: GreenME’s approach is: (i) to diagnose the current status of green care in participating countries, (ii) to increase scientific evidence on mental health and wellbeing equity in urban, semi-urban, rural, semi-rural and coastal settings, and (iii) to empower green care actors by co-creating a set of tools in Sweden, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland and the United States. RESULTS: GreenME will: (a) produce a catalogue of identified successful nature-based therapy models and fruitful integrations of these therapies in green care frameworks broadly; (b) design a nature-based therapy general evaluation protocol including cost-effective analyses and health evaluation; (c) identify mental health and wellbeing impacts of nine interventions and their causal mechanisms and cost-effectiveness; (d) identify the impact on mental health equity of nature-in-everyday-life and nature-based health promotion in project study countries; and (e) enhance the European green care network and establish a training course for nature-based therapy providers. CONCLUSIONS: GreenME will increase the use of nature-based therapy and its integration within a multi-scalar green care framework to ultimately promote just and sustainable healthy communities.

Citation

Cole, H. V., Caputo, S., Specht, K., Giedych, R., Kaemper, R. F., Cook, P., …Mas, M. T. (2023). Advancing GReencare in Europe: a multi-scalar approach to improve Mental health Equity (the GreenME project). #Journal not on list, 2023(1), https://doi.org/10.1289/isee.2023.op-359

• Journal Article Type: Conference Paper
• Acceptance Date: Sep 17, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Sep 17, 2023
• Publication Date: Sep 17, 2023
• Deposit Date: Feb 27, 2024
• Journal: ISEE Conference Abstracts
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2023
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1289/isee.2023.op-359
• Keywords: General Engineering
• Additional Information: Published Open Access: https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/isee.2023.OP-359