Greenspace and park use associated with less emotional distress among college students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected many people's psychological health. Impacts may be particularly severe among socially vulnerable populations such as college students, a group predisposed to mental health problems. Outdoor recreation and visits to greenspaces such as parks offer promising pathways for addressing the mental health challenges associated with COVID-19. During the early stages of the pandemic (March-May 2020), we surveyed 1280 college students at four large public universities across the United States (U.S.) to assess how, and why, outdoor recreation and park use changed since the emergence of COVID-19. We also measured students' self-reported levels of emotional distress (a proxy for psychological health) and assessed potential demographic and contextual correlat

SUBMITTER: Larson LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8648327 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature