Escaping to nature during a pandemic: A natural experiment in Asian cities during the COVID-19 pandemic with big social media data

Lu, Yi; Zhao, Jianting; Wu, Xueying; Lo, Siuming

doi:10.31235/osf.io/rq8sn

Cited by 16 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Half of the participants indicated going into nature more often than before C19CM. These findings complement research elsewhere in Europe (17,39) and Asia (16).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

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Vitamin Nature: How Coronavirus Disease 2019 Has Highlighted Factors Contributing to the Frequency of Nature Visits in Flanders, Belgium

Lenaerts

Heyman

Decker

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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Visiting nature is positively associated with physical and mental well-being. The role of nature became more pronounced during the coronavirus outbreak in the spring of 2020. Countries all over the world implemented confinement measures to reduce the transmission of the virus. These included but were not limited to the cancelation of public events, schools, and non-essential businesses and the prohibition of non-essential travels. However, going outside to exercise was recommended by the Belgian government. During this period, we conducted an online survey to determine if people visit nature more frequently than before and to identify the factors that contribute to this. The results are based on data from 11,352 participants in Flanders, Belgium. With the use of a bivariate and multiple regression analysis, results indicate that people visit nature more frequently than before and that nature helped to maintain social relationships during the coronavirus period. Gardens were reported to be the most popular place, followed by parks. More than half of the people experienced nature in a more positive way, and the belief that nature visits are important for general health increased. In addition, we found a positive association between nature visits and home satisfaction, as well as a positive association with subjective mental and physical health. Lastly, we identified several demographic factors contributing to the frequency of nature visits such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Our findings indicate the importance of nature visits for general well-being and highlight the need for nearby green infrastructure.

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“…Half of the participants indicated going into nature more often than before C19CM. These findings complement research elsewhere in Europe (17,39) and Asia (16).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Previous research highlighted that contact with nature may be an effective strategy to cope with stress (11,12) and emotion regulation (13). During the pandemic, a trend of people visiting nature more often could be observed in western countries (14)(15)(16)(17).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vitamin Nature: How Coronavirus Disease 2019 Has Highlighted Factors Contributing to the Frequency of Nature Visits in Flanders, Belgium

Lenaerts

Heyman

Decker

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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“…Both outdoor recreation [ 87 ] and nature exposure [ 88 , 89 ] can improve psychosocial and eudaimonic well-being [ 90 , 91 ]. Recent studies of people across the world show protective psychological effects of park and green space access during the pandemic [ 92 ] as well as lower rates of infection and mortality [ 93 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological impacts from COVID-19 among university students: Risk factors across seven states in the United States

et al. 2021

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Background University students are increasingly recognized as a vulnerable population, suffering from higher levels of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and disordered eating compared to the general population. Therefore, when the nature of their educational experience radically changes—such as sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic—the burden on the mental health of this vulnerable population is amplified. The objectives of this study are to 1) identify the array of psychological impacts COVID-19 has on students, 2) develop profiles to characterize students' anticipated levels of psychological impact during the pandemic, and 3) evaluate potential sociodemographic, lifestyle-related, and awareness of people infected with COVID-19 risk factors that could make students more likely to experience these impacts. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected through web-based questionnaires from seven U.S. universities. Representative and convenience sampling was used to invite students to complete the questionnaires in mid-March to early-May 2020, when most coronavirus-related sheltering in place orders were in effect. We received 2,534 completed responses, of which 61% were from women, 79% from non-Hispanic Whites, and 20% from graduate students. Results Exploratory factor analysis on close-ended responses resulted in two latent constructs, which we used to identify profiles of students with latent profile analysis, including high (45% of sample), moderate (40%), and low (14%) levels of psychological impact. Bivariate associations showed students who were women, were non-Hispanic Asian, in fair/poor health, of below-average relative family income, or who knew someone infected with COVID-19 experienced higher levels of psychological impact. Students who were non-Hispanic White, above-average social class, spent at least two hours outside, or less than eight hours on electronic screens were likely to experience lower levels of psychological impact. Multivariate modeling (mixed-effects logistic regression) showed that being a woman, having fair/poor general health status, being 18 to 24 years old, spending 8 or more hours on screens daily, and knowing someone infected predicted higher levels of psychological impact when risk factors were considered simultaneously. Conclusion Inadequate efforts to recognize and address college students’ mental health challenges, especially during a pandemic, could have long-term consequences on their health and education.

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“…Several studies have found that people have used UGS more since the pandemic started ( Grima et al, 2020 ; Kleinschroth and Kowarik, 2020 ; Lu et al, 2020 ; Venter et al, 2020 ). Our survey respondents visited UGS multiple times per week on average, but respondents were equally likely to increase or decrease their UGS visits during the pandemic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many cities, regions, and entire countries enacted temporary lockdowns (in addition to social distancing recommendations and mandates) to control the spread of the virus, leading to unprecedented reductions in mobility ( Rutz et al, 2020 ) and temporary closure of public spaces ( Slater et al, 2020 ). Some studies have found increases in park and natural area use during the pandemic, as residents seek relief from rising stress and anxiety and try to limit indoor activities with higher virus transmission risk ( Grima et al, 2020 ; Kleinschroth and Kowarik, 2020 ; Lu et al, 2020 ; Venter et al, 2020 ). However, limited physical or perceived access to UGS, due to either lack of nearby greenspace, closed facilities, or perceptions of not being welcome in UGS, could prevent people from using UGS during this crisis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Who benefits from urban green spaces during times of crisis? Perception and use of urban green spaces in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic

Lopez

Kennedy

Field

et al. 2021

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

104

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Urban green spaces (UGS) provide health benefits to city dwellers, which may be even more important during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, lack of access to UGS or important UGS features, in addition to concerns about UGS safety or maintenance, could prevent people from receiving these benefits. We designed an online survey to understand how people were using and perceiving UGS during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City during the spring of 2020. The survey included questions about how people’s visits to UGS and perceptions of the importance of UGS for health had changed since the start of the pandemic, as well as the concerns people had and features of UGS they considered important. Of the 1372 people who took the survey, most respondents were concerned about a lack of social distancing and crowded UGS, and respondents with these concerns were less likely to visit UGS and had visited UGS less often during than before the pandemic. In addition, generalized linear models showed differences in some concerns and important features of UGS across gender, race and ethnicity, demonstrating the importance of considering community needs in UGS design and management. Although concerns about lack of access were not common in our study population, these also appeared to prevent people from using UGS, and were more common in certain areas of the city that were also hard-hit by COVID-19 in the beginning of the pandemic. To ensure that people can get health benefits from UGS during times of crisis, cities must eliminate barriers by providing equitable access to UGS, considering what amenities communities need from UGS, and provide consistent communication about public health policies.

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Escaping to nature during a pandemic: A natural experiment in Asian cities during the COVID-19 pandemic with big social media data

Cited by 16 publications

References 14 publications

Vitamin Nature: How Coronavirus Disease 2019 Has Highlighted Factors Contributing to the Frequency of Nature Visits in Flanders, Belgium

Vitamin Nature: How Coronavirus Disease 2019 Has Highlighted Factors Contributing to the Frequency of Nature Visits in Flanders, Belgium

Psychological impacts from COVID-19 among university students: Risk factors across seven states in the United States

Who benefits from urban green spaces during times of crisis? Perception and use of urban green spaces in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic

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