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Healthcare
Special Issues
Evidence-Based Green Therapies and Preventive Medicine
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Evidence-Based Green Therapies and Preventive Medicine

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Preventive Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 4828

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesco Meneguzzo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Bioeconomy, National Research Council of Italy, 10 Via Madonna del Piano, I-50019 Florence, Italy
Interests: biogenic volatile organic compounds; forest therapy; extraction of natural products; bioactive compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Federica Zabini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Bioeconomy, National Research Council, 10 Via Madonna del Piano, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy
Interests: biogenic volatile organic compounds; extraction of natural products; forest therapy; science communication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Nature-based interventions are generally feasible and cost-effective, aimed at both prevention and therapy, integrating individual benefits with the reduction of healthcare costs. Mental imbalances and pathologies have been the primary target due to more robust evidence; however, the consolidated association of physical illnesses such as cardiovascular risk with mental issues, e.g., anxiety, allows a safe extension of the treatment field. Based on conservative estimates of about 8% of global gross national product being saved every year due to the simple attendance of green areas, the economic potential of nature- and green-based healthcare is immense. On the other hand, green- and nature-based therapies and preventive medicine are not gaining momentum by chance or driven by a passing trend; rather, they appear as a natural outcome of the long-term decline in widespread affordability and seemingly irreversible aging, especially in the developed world.

This Special Issue intends to cover the wide field of nature-based and green therapies and preventive medicine aimed at any disorder; however, it points to clear and quantitative evidence, with the overall goal of supporting the uptake of these practices by the healthcare systems.

The expected submissions will be research articles, reviews, and case reports.  

Prof. Dr. Francesco Meneguzzo
Dr. Federica Zabini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • anxiety
  • evidence-based medicine
  • green care
  • forest bathing
  • forest therapy
  • health prevention
  • mental illness
  • nature-based therapies
  • sleep disorder

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2733 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Urban Gardening Activities on Participants’ Perceived Restorativeness, Resilience, Sense of Community and Stress
by Hee-Ran Kim, Won-Suk Oh, Jin-Gun Kim and Won-Sop Shin
Healthcare 2023, 11(12), 1664; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121664 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1784
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the influence of urban garden activities on participants’ perceived restorativeness, resilience, sense of community, and stress reduction. A total of ninety individuals who agreed to participate in the experiment were divided into experimental and control groups. To collect [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the influence of urban garden activities on participants’ perceived restorativeness, resilience, sense of community, and stress reduction. A total of ninety individuals who agreed to participate in the experiment were divided into experimental and control groups. To collect data, 16 sessions of urban garden activities were conducted every two weeks from May to November 2022. Perceived Restorativeness Scale, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, Sense of Community Index, and Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument were employed to measure participants’ psychological effects. To evaluate physiological effects, salivary cortisol tests were performed. The results of the study revealed that urban gardening activities influenced on participants’ physiological and psychological reactions in positive ways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence-Based Green Therapies and Preventive Medicine)
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13 pages, 499 KiB  
Article
Demographic, Psychosocial, and Lifestyle-Related Characteristics of Forest Therapy Participants in Italy: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey
by Michele Antonelli, Davide Donelli, Valentina Maggini, Eugenia Gallo, Vittorio Mascherini, Fabio Firenzuoli, Gioele Gavazzi, Federica Zabini, Emanuela Venturelli, Giovanni Margheritini, Ivana Bassi, Luca Iseppi and Francesco Meneguzzo
Healthcare 2023, 11(11), 1627; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11111627 - 2 Jun 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2355
Abstract
This research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the key demographic, psychosocial, and lifestyle-related characteristics of forest therapy participants in Italy. A survey was conducted among 1070 adults who had engaged in standardized forest therapy experiences between June 2021 and October 2022. [...] Read more.
This research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the key demographic, psychosocial, and lifestyle-related characteristics of forest therapy participants in Italy. A survey was conducted among 1070 adults who had engaged in standardized forest therapy experiences between June 2021 and October 2022. The findings indicate that most forest therapy participants in Italy share certain distinctive traits. They are primarily female, aged between 45 and 54 years, employed, and unmarried. Moreover, they possess a high level of education, predominantly reside in urban areas, demonstrate a strong environmental awareness, maintain a nature-oriented attitude, and typically exhibit moderate levels of trait anxiety. Additionally, they tend to be nonsmokers, possess a healthy BMI within the normal range, and consume an adequate quantity of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. However, it should be noted that their male counterparts tend to be overweight and exhibit poorer dietary habits. Irrespective of gender, approximately 40% of forest therapy participants in Italy live with a chronic disease that requires daily medicinal treatment. Subsequent research should investigate whether these characteristics hold true in different countries. Furthermore, exploring the potential effectiveness of health-promoting interventions integrated with forest therapy sessions could prove beneficial in addressing these specific issues among forest therapy participants. By doing so, such interventions have the potential to contribute significantly to public health promotion and overall community well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence-Based Green Therapies and Preventive Medicine)
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