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Measuring Biophysical and Psychological Stress Levels Following Visitation to Three Locations with Differing Levels of Nature
Published on: June 19, 2019
Outdoor Activity Associated with Higher Self-Reported Emotional Well-Being During COVID-19
M Pilar Fernandez1,2,3, Kacey C Ernst4, Gebbiena M Bron5
1Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Abstract:
Shifts in activity patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic might have impacted the benefits of outdoor activities for mental health. By leveraging an existing mobile application, we collected self-reported data on daily outdoor activities, emotional well-being, and the influence of COVID-19 on participant's outdoor activity levels during April-July 2020. Individuals reporting outdoor activities, in greenspaces or in their residence, had higher well-being scores and this effect increased with age. Self-reported impacts of COVID-19 on emotional well-being were associated with lower well-being scores. This work suggests that outdoor activities may have improved mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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