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Assessing the Impact of School-Based Greenness on Mental Health Among Adolescent Students in Ontario, Canada

Author

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  • Sebastian A. Srugo

    (Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada)

  • Margaret de Groh

    (Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada)

  • Ying Jiang

    (Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada)

  • Howard I. Morrison

    (Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada)

  • Hayley A. Hamilton

    (Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada
    Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada)

  • Paul J. Villeneuve

    (School of Mathematics and Statistics, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada)

Abstract

Neighbourhood greenness has been frequently associated with improved mental health in adulthood, yet its impact among youth is less clear. Additionally, though youth spend large portions of time at school, no study has investigated associations between school-based measures of greenness and students’ mental health in Canada. We addressed this gap by linking participant responses from the 2016–2017 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey to school-based features of the built environment. Our analyses included 6313 students, ages 11–20. Measures of greenness were the mean and max of the annual mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index within 500 m and 1000 m from the centroid of the school postal code. Measures of mental health included: serious psychological distress (Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale), self-rated mental health (using a five-point Likert scale), suicide ideation, and suicide attempt. In our study population, the prevalence of serious psychological distress and low self-rated mental health was 16.7% and 20.3%, respectively. Suicide ideation was reported by 13.5% of participants, while 3.7% reported a suicide attempt. Quantity of greenness was similar between schools in the lower and upper quartiles. In logistic regressions, we found no association between objective school-based greenness and mental health, as assessed by multiple measures, both before and after adjustment. Null findings held true after stratification by season, as well. Whether other characteristics of school greenness (such as type, quality, or access and use) are more impactful to students’ mental health should be a focus of future analyses.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian A. Srugo & Margaret de Groh & Ying Jiang & Howard I. Morrison & Hayley A. Hamilton & Paul J. Villeneuve, 2019. "Assessing the Impact of School-Based Greenness on Mental Health Among Adolescent Students in Ontario, Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:22:p:4364-:d:285009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Victoria Houlden & Scott Weich & João Porto de Albuquerque & Stephen Jarvis & Karen Rees, 2018. "The relationship between greenspace and the mental wellbeing of adults: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(9), pages 1-35, September.
    2. Paul J. Villeneuve & Renate L. Ysseldyk & Ariel Root & Sarah Ambrose & Jason DiMuzio & Neerija Kumar & Monica Shehata & Min Xi & Evan Seed & Xiaojiang Li & Mahdi Shooshtari & Daniel Rainham, 2018. "Comparing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index with the Google Street View Measure of Vegetation to Assess Associations between Greenness, Walkability, Recreational Physical Activity, and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-16, August.
    3. Suzanne Tillmann & Andrew F. Clark & Jason A. Gilliland, 2018. "Children and Nature: Linking Accessibility of Natural Environments and Children’s Health-Related Quality of Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Helena Ribeiro & Keila Valente de Souza Santana & Sofia Lizarralde Oliver, 2024. "Natural Environments in University Campuses and Students’ Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-22, March.
    2. Aysha Lukmanji & Jeanne V.A. Williams & Andrew G.M. Bulloch & Ashley K. Dores & Scott B. Patten, 2020. "The Association of Active Living Environments and Mental Health: A Canadian Epidemiological Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-12, March.
    3. Javier Ortuño-Sierra & Beatriz Lucas-Molina & Félix Inchausti & Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero, 2021. "Special Issue on Mental Health and Well-Being in Adolescence: Environment and Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-4, March.
    4. Martine Shareck & Eliana Aubé & Stephanie Sersli, 2023. "Neighborhood Physical and Social Environments and Social Inequalities in Health in Older Adolescents and Young Adults: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Tona M. Pitt & Janet Aucoin & Tate HubkaRao & Suzanne Goopy & Jason Cabaj & Brent Hagel & Gavin R. McCormack, 2021. "The Relationship of Urban Form on Children and Adolescent Health Outcomes: A Scoping Review of Canadian Evidence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-12, April.
    6. Yijun Zhang & Suzanne Mavoa & Jinfeng Zhao & Deborah Raphael & Melody Smith, 2020. "The Association between Green Space and Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-26, September.

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