Exploring the beliefs and perceptions of spending time in nature among U.S. youth.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The prevalence of poor mental health continues to rise among youth; however, large-scale interventions to improve mental and physical health remain a public health challenge. Time spent in nature is associated with improved health among youth. This study aimed to assess youth experiences with nature and the self-perceived impact on their mental and physical health among a nationwide sample of US youth.

Methods

In September 2020, five open-ended questions that aimed to assess perceptions regarding nature were posed to 1174 MyVoice youth, aged 14-24 years. Qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis, and data were summarized using descriptive statistics.

Results

The mean (SD) age of the 994 respondents (RR = 84.7%) was 18.9 (2.7) years; 47.4% wer

SUBMITTER: Zamora AN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8381719 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature