Exposure to nature and mental health outcomes during COVID-19 lockdown. A comparison between Portugal and Spain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To control the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, countries around the world implemented lockdowns with varying intensities. Lockdowns, however, have been associated with a deterioration of mental health, including post-traumatic stress symptoms, anger and anxiety. Exposure to nature might reduce stress and provide relaxation opportunities.

Objective

Firstly, we aimed to determine which sociodemographic, housing and lockdown-related characteristics were associated with changes in exposure to nature during the COVID-19 lockdown in Portugal and Spain. Secondly, we sought to estimate the associations of these changes with mental health, and test whether these associations differed according to sociodemographic characteristics and between the two countries, which experie

SUBMITTER: Ribeiro AI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8162907 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature