Perspect Nurs Sci.  2015 Apr;12(1):14-22. 10.16952/pns.2015.12.1.14.

Comparing the Current Health Status and Health Behaviors of Residents from Urban and Forested Areas

• Lee I
• Lee K
• Kim SJ
• Bang KS
• Choi HS

• KMID: 2315707
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.16952/pns.2015.12.1.14

Abstract

PURPOSE
Forests have positive effects on health due to phytoncide, thus increasing physical activity and stress relief. However, research has not been conducted on the daily health benefits of existing forests. Therefore, this study attempts to compare the health status and behaviors of residents in urban and forested areas.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study used anthropometric measures, blood tests, heart rate variability, depression, stress, and health behavior self-reports for adults between 35 and 79 years from two regions.
RESULTS
Adults living in a forested region had better health consequences-including lower prevalence of osteoarthritis (6.4%) and mean bone mineral density (-0.84) -than those in an urban region (osteoarthritis: 13.7%; bone mineral density: -1.55). The percentage of 'physically active' participants (measured in MET-minutes) differed significantly different between the forested (49.1%) and urban (7.3%) areas. However, health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and regular heath check-up rates were worse among residents from the forested, than the urban area.
CONCLUSION
We concluded that more proactive forest therapy programs are needed to prove the health differences.

Keyword

Forests; Health status; Urban health; Health behavior

MeSH Terms

Adult
Alcohol Drinking
Bone Density
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression
Health Behavior*
Heart Rate
Hematologic Tests
Humans
Insurance Benefits
Motor Activity
Osteoarthritis
Prevalence
Smoke
Smoking
Urban Health
Smoke

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