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    RESEARCH

    The Cost Effectiveness of Ecotherapy as a Healthcare Intervention, Separating the Wood from the Trees

    Ecotherapy has the potential to improve mental health, physical activity, and reduce healthcare costs in people with common mental health problems, but the current evidence is too weak and short-term to confirm its cost-effectiveness. The paper recommends conducting more high-quality research to better assess whether ecotherapy should be adopted more broadly as part of healthcare services.
    Program Types: Therapeutic, Social
    Population Groups: Dementia/Traumatic & Acquired Brain Injuries, Mental Health Challenges/Trauma, General Population, Addiction/Substance Use Disorders
    Setting or Context: Community Gardens, Urban vs. Rural Settings, Farms, Natural Areas/Parks/Forest
    Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Mental Health, Enhanced Emotional Well-being, Greater Sense of Purpose, Improved Physical Health, Increased Social Engagement & Skills, Greater Job Readiness & Vocational Skills, Decreased Need for Pain Medication, Increased Self-Efficacy
    Allied Profession Intersections: Behavioral Therapy, Social Work, Forest/Ecotherapy
    Type of Activity: Outdoor Gardening, Nature-Based Arts & Crafts, Environmental Education, Forest/Natural Area Immersion, Mindfulness/Visualizations
    Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Case Studies, Meta-Analyses/Systematic Reviews, Randomized Controlled Trials, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research
    Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health, Metrics for Physical Health, Patient-Reported Outcomes, Standardized Assessment Tools, Program Effectiveness, Longitudinal Studies
    Access: Free
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    Summary

    This paper explores whether ecotherapy—a type of group-based, nature-centered activity used to improve mental health—could be a cost-effective healthcare treatment. With more people living in cities and having less contact with nature, there is growing interest in using natural environments to help with mental health problems like depression and anxiety. The authors reviewed existing studies and reports to understand both the costs of running ecotherapy programs and their potential benefits, such as improved mental and physical well-being. They found some encouraging evidence that ecotherapy can help reduce symptoms of depression, increase physical activity, and lower healthcare costs through fewer doctor visits and reduced medication use.

    However, the overall quality of the available evidence is weak, with few high-quality studies and almost no long-term data on whether benefits last after the program ends. The authors argue that while ecotherapy shows promise and may offer wider social benefits beyond health (such as improved social connection and reduced inequality), much more research—especially randomized controlled trials—is needed to know if it is truly cost-effective enough to be widely funded through national healthcare systems like the UK’s NHS.

    Link

    Hinde, S., Bojke, L., & Coventry, P. (2021). The cost effectiveness of ecotherapy as a healthcare intervention, separating the wood from the trees.  International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(21), 11599

     

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