Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 5, 2026

Measuring Biophysical and Psychological Stress Levels Following Visitation to Three Locations with Differing Levels of Nature
Published on: June 19, 2019
Parks and green areas and the risk for depression and suicidal indicators
Kyoung-Bok Min1, Hyun-Jin Kim2, Hye-Jin Kim1
1Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Objectives:
There is increasing evidence that parks and green areas have beneficial effects on mental health; however, most studies have been limited to a certain or small geographic area. This study investigated whether parks and green areas were associated with the risk for depression or suicidal indicators among adults.
Methods:
We used the 2009 Korean Community Health Survey data (n = 169,029). Residential geographical codes were used to determine the amount of parks and green areas in each administrative district.
Results:
The median amount of parks and green areas was 19.73 m2 per capita. Compared with adults living the highest amount of parks and green areas (1st quartile), those living in regions with the lowest amount of parks and green areas (4th quartile) had 16-27% greater odds for depression and suicidal indicators, after adjusting for all potential variables. People without moderate physical activity had higher odds for self-reported depression and suicidal ideation than those with moderate physical activity.
Conclusions:
We observed protective associations between parks and green areas and depression and suicidal indicators. In addition, moderate physical activity may help to lower the risk for depression and suicidal indicators.
Related Concept Videos
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Depression: Overview
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over...
Long-term Depression
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

