RESEARCH

Enhancing Human Resilience Beyond COVID-19-Related Stress: Public Responses to Multi-Benefits of Home Gardening

This study demonstrates that home gardening can improve mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic, with perceived stress driving gardening intentions. However, the effectiveness of solutions to gardening challenges varies across Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, highlighting the influence of different social contexts

Program Types: Social

Population Groups: General Population, Burnout/Workplace Stress

Setting or Context: Homes/Private Residences

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Mental Health, Improved Physical Health

Type of Activity: Indoor Plant Care, Outdoor Gardening

Evidence Type: Qualitative Research

Measurement and Evaluation: Patient-Reported Outcomes

Access: Free

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Summary

This paper investigates the potential benefits of home gardening on mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic across three countries: Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The study uses online surveys to understand people’s perceptions of home gardening and its health benefits during the pandemic. The study explores the relationships between perceived pandemic stress, gardening intentions, challenges, solutions, and subsequent mental and physical health benefits.

The study reveals that perceived pandemic stress positively influences home gardening intentions in all three countries. Challenges in gardening negatively affect these intentions, while solutions positively affect gardening intentions in Taiwan and Vietnam, but not in Thailand. Home gardening intentions, in turn, positively affect both mental and physical health. Notably, the impact of home gardening on mental health is more pronounced in Taiwan compared to Thailand, and Vietnamese people exhibit higher perceived pandemic stress related to gardening intentions than their Taiwanese and Thai counterparts.

Link

Wu, CF., Trac, LVT., Chen, SH. et al. (2023). Enhancing human resilience beyond COVID-19-related stress: Public responses to multi-benefits of home gardening. Sci Rep., 13(1), 10534.

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