RESEARCH

Sustainability Capacity of a Vegetable Gardening Intervention for Cancer Survivors

A year after completing the Harvest for Health gardening program, 85.7% of cancer survivors were still gardening and 47.3% had expanded their gardens. Community stakeholders also rated the program highly for sustainability, giving it an overall score of 5.7 out of 7, though long-term funding was identified as a key challenge.

Program Types: Therapeutic

Population Groups: Rehabilitation, Chronic/Acute Health Conditions, Volunteers

Setting or Context: Urban vs. Rural Settings, Homes/Private Residences

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Greater Sense of Purpose, Improved Physical Health, Increased Social Engagement & Skills, Longevity & Aging Well, Increased Horticultural Knowledge

Allied Profession Intersections: Behavioral Therapy, Education

Type of Activity: Outdoor Gardening, Edible Plant Gardening, Meal/Diet-Based Activities, Growing Plants from Seed

Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Observational Research, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research

Measurement and Evaluation: Patient-Reported Outcomes, Standardized Assessment Tools, Program Effectiveness, Longitudinal Studies

Access: Free

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Summary

This study looked at whether a year-long vegetable gardening program called Harvest for Health could encourage lasting healthy habits for cancer survivors. The program matched each cancer survivor with a trained gardening mentor and provided supplies so they could grow vegetables at home. The goal was to see if participants would keep gardening after the program ended, which could help improve their diet, physical activity, and well-being. The researchers also asked community leaders and health professionals involved in the program whether they thought it had the ability to continue and grow over time.

The results were very encouraging. About 86% of the cancer survivors kept gardening a full year after the program, and nearly half expanded their gardens. Some even became certified Master Gardeners themselves. Community leaders rated the program highly on its ability to last, though they noted that finding stable long-term funding is an area to improve. Overall, this simple gardening program showed strong potential to help cancer survivors maintain healthy habits and to continue as a community-supported project.

Link

Cases, MG., Blair, CK., & Hendricks, PS. (2022, June). Sustainability capacity of a vegetable gardening intervention for cancer survivors. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1238

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