City dwellers who frequent green spaces use fewer drugs for depression, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, and asthma
Frequent visits to urban green spaces, such as parks and community gardens in Finland, rather than just views from home, may be linked to lower use of certain prescription meds.
Green areas were defined as forests, gardens, parks, castle parks, cemeteries, zoos, herbaceous vegetation associations such as natural grassland and moors, and wetlands. Additionally, blue areas were defined as seas, lakes, and rivers.
Researchers observed associations between frequent green space visits and lower use of drugs for depression, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, and asthma – not dependent on socio-economic position.
Exposure to natural environments is thought to be good for health, however, the evidence is inconsistent, say the researchers, who published their research in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.
Lower use of drugs for depression, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, and asthma
Researchers set out to explore if the amount of residential green and blue space, frequency of green space visits, and views of green and blue spaces from home might be separately associated with the use of certain prescription meds.
They chose prescription meds as a proxy for ill health – looking at meds used for anxiety and insomnia, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma – because they are used to treat common and potentially serious health issues.
Analysing responses of 16,000 randomly selected residents aged at least 25 from Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa – making up the largest urban area in Finland – they used the Helsinki Capital Region Environmental Health Survey in 2015-16 for results based on how they experience residential green and blue spaces within a 1km radius of their home.
Respondents were asked to report their use of prescribed meds – such as drugs for anxiety, insomnia, and depression, collectively known as psychotropic drugs; high blood pressure and asthma drugs – if applicable, for periods ranging from within the past week up to more than a year ago or never. They were also asked how often they spent time, or exercised outdoors, in green spaces, during May and September, with options ranging from never to 5 or more times a week.
Finally, they were asked whether they could see green or blue spaces from any of their windows at home, and if so, how often they took in these views, with options ranging from seldom to often.
33% lower odds of using mental health medications
Potentially influential factors, including health behaviours, outdoor air pollution and noise, and household income and educational attainment were also considered.
The research demonstrated that the amount of residential green and blue spaces, or views of them from home, weren’t associated with the use of prescription meds for mental health, insomnia, high blood pressure or asthma.
However, the frequency of visits to green spaces was correlated.
Compared with less than one weekly visit, visiting 3-4 times weekly was associated with 33% lower odds of using mental health meds, 36% lower odds of using blood pressure meds, and 26% lower odds of using asthma meds.
The equivalent figures for visiting at least 5 times a week were, respectively, 22%, 41%, and 24% lower.
The effects of visiting green spaces were stronger among those reporting the lowest annual household income
The effects of visiting green spaces were also stronger among those reporting the lowest annual household income (below €30,000). But overall, the associations found didn’t depend on household income and educational attainment.
Researchers conclude: “Mounting scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of nature exposure is likely to increase the supply of high quality green spaces in urban environments and promote their active use. This might be one way to improve health and welfare in cities.”
