Nature's Role in Supporting Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Geospatial and Socioecological Study.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes to human lifestyles across the world. The virus and associated social restriction measures have been linked to an increase in mental health conditions. A considerable body of evidence shows that spending time in and engaging with nature can improve human health and wellbeing. Our study explores nature's role in supporting health during the COVID-19 pandemic. We created web-based questionnaires with validated health instruments and conducted spatial analyses in a geographic information system (GIS). We collected data (n = 1184) on people's patterns of nature exposure, associated health and wellbeing responses, and potential socioecological drivers such as relative deprivation, access to greenspaces, and land-cover greenness. The

SUBMITTER: Robinson JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7967714 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature