IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i16p10256-d891446.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Well-Being in the Time of Corona: Associations of Nearby Greenery with Mental Well-Being during COVID-19 in The Netherlands

Author

Listed:
  • Ralitsa Shentova

    (Environmental Systems Analysis, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Sjerp de Vries

    (Wageningen Environmental Research/Cultural Geography, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Jana Verboom

    (Environmental Systems Analysis, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Nature’s mental health benefits are well-established in the literature, but there is little research on which types and characteristics of urban greenery are most relevant for mental well-being in general, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in particular. This study examined the link between having a (green) garden or a green view from the main window of the home, as well as the perceived quantity and quality of neighbourhood green areas and streetscape greenery, and the self-reported change in mental well-being since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adults residing in the Netherlands (N = 521, 67% female) completed an online survey in December 2020 and January 2021. It included items on the frequency of contact with the aforementioned outdoor spaces, as well as their quantity, natural features, and quality. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the quantity of the greenery mattered, but the quality was more strongly associated with well-being. In particular, well-maintained, attractive, and varied streetscape greenery was just as relevant as a garden with diverse plants. This beneficial association between streetscape greenery and mental well-being was stronger for female participants. Understanding the benefits of the different types and characteristics of urban greenery, and who they are most relevant for, can assist policymakers and planners in designing cities that promote health and resilience.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralitsa Shentova & Sjerp de Vries & Jana Verboom, 2022. "Well-Being in the Time of Corona: Associations of Nearby Greenery with Mental Well-Being during COVID-19 in The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:16:p:10256-:d:891446
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/16/10256/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/16/10256/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tahvonen, Outi & Airaksinen, Miimu, 2018. "Low-density housing in sustainable urban planning – Scaling down to private gardens by using the green infrastructure concept," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 478-485.
    2. Stafford, M. & Cummins, S. & Macintyre, S. & Ellaway, A. & Marmot, M., 2005. "Gender differences in the associations between health and neighbourhood environment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(8), pages 1681-1692, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ferdinando Fornara & Elena Rinallo & Massimiliano Scopelliti, 2023. "Contact with Nature in Social Deprivation during COVID-19: The Positive Impact on Anxiety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(14), pages 1-14, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nummela, Olli & Raivio, Risto & Uutela, Antti, 2012. "Trust, self-rated health and mortality: A longitudinal study among ageing people in Southern Finland," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1639-1643.
    2. Ziliang Jin & Jiangping Wang & Xu Liu & Xu Han & Jiaojiao Qi & Jingyong Wang, 2022. "Stress Recovery Effects of Viewing Simulated Urban Parks: Landscape Types, Depressive Symptoms, and Gender Differences," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, December.
    3. Colette Cunningham-Myrie & Katherine P Theall & Novie Younger-Coleman & Lisa-Gaye Greene & Parris Lyew-Ayee & Rainford Wilks, 2021. "Associations of neighborhood physical and crime environments with obesity-related outcomes in Jamaica," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(4), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Steffen Andreas Schüle & Gabriele Bolte, 2015. "Interactive and Independent Associations between the Socioeconomic and Objective Built Environment on the Neighbourhood Level and Individual Health: A Systematic Review of Multilevel Studies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-31, April.
    5. Stephanie A. Prince & Elizabeth A. Kristjansson & Katherine Russell & Jean-Michel Billette & Michael Sawada & Amira Ali & Mark S. Tremblay & Denis Prud’homme, 2011. "A Multilevel Analysis of Neighbourhood Built and Social Environments and Adult Self-Reported Physical Activity and Body Mass Index in Ottawa, Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-26, October.
    6. Tian Gao & Rui Song & Ling Zhu & Ling Qiu, 2019. "What Characteristics of Urban Green Spaces and Recreational Activities Do Self-Reported Stressed Individuals Like? A Case Study of Baoji, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-16, April.
    7. Ahnquist, Johanna & Wamala, Sarah P. & Lindstrom, Martin, 2012. "Social determinants of health – A question of social or economic capital? Interaction effects of socioeconomic factors on health outcomes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(6), pages 930-939.
    8. Anne Ellaway & Ruth Dundas & Tony Robertson & Paul G Shiels, 2019. "More miles on the clock: Neighbourhood stressors are associated with telomere length in a longitudinal study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-11, March.
    9. Xindong Xue & W. Robert Reed, 2015. "The Relationship Between Social Capital And Health In China," Working Papers in Economics 15/05, University of Canterbury, Department of Economics and Finance.
    10. Emma Bassett & Spencer Moore, 2013. "Gender Differences in the Social Pathways Linking Neighborhood Disadvantage to Depressive Symptoms in Adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(10), pages 1-8, October.
    11. Raskina, Yulia & Podkorytova, Olga & Kuchakov, Ruslan, 2022. "Health determinants and the reporting heterogeneity bias in Russia: Anchoring vignettes approach," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 66, pages 118-143.
    12. Chen, Duan-Rung & Chang, Ly-Yun & Yang, Meng-Li, 2008. "Gender-specific responses to social determinants associated with self-perceived health in Taiwan: A multilevel approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(10), pages 1630-1640, November.
    13. Masako Horino & Sze Yan Liu & Eun-Young Lee & Ichiro Kawachi & Roman Pabayo, 2020. "State-level income inequality and the odds for meeting fruit and vegetable recommendations among US adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-15, September.
    14. Eriksson, Malin & Emmelin, Maria, 2013. "What constitutes a health-enabling neighborhood? A grounded theory situational analysis addressing the significance of social capital and gender," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 112-123.
    15. Barnett, Ross & Pearce, Jamie & Moon, Graham, 2009. "Community inequality and smoking cessation in New Zealand, 1981-2006," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 876-884, March.
    16. Neeru Gupta & Dan Lawson Crouse & Ismael Foroughi & Thalia Nikolaidou, 2021. "Gendering Neighbourhood Marginalization Metrics in Mental Health Services Research: A Cross-Sectional Exploration of a Rural and Small Urban Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-11, October.
    17. Chuang, Ying-Chih & Chuang, Kun-Yang, 2008. "Gender differences in relationships between social capital and individual smoking and drinking behavior in Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1321-1330, October.
    18. Vallée, Julie & Cadot, Emmanuelle & Roustit, Christelle & Parizot, Isabelle & Chauvin, Pierre, 2011. "The role of daily mobility in mental health inequalities: The interactive influence of activity space and neighbourhood of residence on depression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(8), pages 1133-1144.
    19. Richardson, Elizabeth A. & Mitchell, Richard, 2010. "Gender differences in relationships between urban green space and health in the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 568-575, August.
    20. Tiina Lankila & Simo Näyhä & Arja Rautio & Tanja Nordström & Markku Koiranen & Anja Taanila & Jarmo Rusanen, 2012. "Self-reported health in urban–rural continuum: a grid-based analysis of Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 57(3), pages 525-533, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:16:p:10256-:d:891446. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.