Exploring pathways linking greenspace to health: Theoretical and methodological guidance

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Public Health
• Urban Planning

Background:

• Urbanization leads to reduced contact with nature, potentially impacting health and well-being.
• Existing reviews confirm greenspace benefits, but underlying mechanisms and promotion strategies are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• Review evidence linking greenspace and health from a transdisciplinary perspective.
• Focus on biopsychosocial pathways and their application in population health research.
• Organize findings to support policy-relevant research.

Main Methods:

• Expert workshop to review existing evidence on greenspace and health.
• Analysis of potential biopsychosocial pathways.
• Identification of research gaps and recommendations for future studies.

Main Results:

• Greenspace functions include reducing harm (pollution, noise, heat), restoring capacities (attention, stress recovery), and building capacities (physical activity, social cohesion).
• Interrelations between these functional domains were noted.
• Recommendations for future research include pathway-relevant measures, assessing greenspace presence/access/use, longitudinal/interventional designs, and inclusion of low- and middle-income countries.

Conclusions:

• Evidence confirms greenspace benefits, but specific pathways and contextual variations require further investigation.
• Guidance is provided for epidemiological research to develop policy recommendations.
• Understanding contextual factors (cultural, climatic, geographic) is crucial for future studies.