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Healthcare
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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: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 6447

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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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 3250 KiB  
Article
Components and Application Plans for Designing a Korean Forest Therapy Prescription Model: Using Case Examination and a Focus Group Interview (FGI)
by Pyeongsik Yeon, Neeeun Lee, Sinae Kang, Gayeon Kim, Youngeun Seo, Sooil Park, Kyungsook Paek, Saeyeon Choi, Seyeon Park, Hyoju Choi, Gyeongmin Min and Jeonghee Lee
Healthcare 2025, 13(8), 866; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13080866 - 10 Apr 2025
Viewed by 204
Abstract
Background: Although forest therapy services in South Korea have demonstrated mental and physical effects, there is no established system for forest therapy prescriptions. To this end, it is necessary to devise a systematic model for the introduction of forest therapy prescriptions by linking [...] Read more.
Background: Although forest therapy services in South Korea have demonstrated mental and physical effects, there is no established system for forest therapy prescriptions. To this end, it is necessary to devise a systematic model for the introduction of forest therapy prescriptions by linking the existing forest therapy infrastructure and medical services. Therefore, this study aimed to derive the components and application plans needed to devise a forest therapy prescription model for the spread of medical-linked forest therapy services and to secure a forest therapy prescription infrastructure. Methods: To this end, Korean and foreign cases of prescription models and healthcare service provision systems were analyzed to derive the necessary components for prescription models. Subsequently, a Focus Group Interview (FGI) was conducted with eight experts in the fields of forest therapy and welfare, psychiatry, and health and nursing, and opinions were derived regarding the conception and empirical application of the forest therapy prescription model through content analysis. Results: As a result of the study, five components (clear role-sharing and a collaboration system, a continuous system, customized service provision, various technologies and content, and a database-based prescription system) were derived from cases of prescription models and healthcare service provision systems according to field. Furthermore, the FGI identified three primary topics: stakeholders’ scope and role, procedures and effectiveness, and additional considerations. Each was categorized into eight sub-categories relevant to the design of the forest therapy prescription model. Conclusions: These results can be used as basic data for devising a systematic Korean forest therapy prescription model in which forest therapy and medical services are linked, providing a foundation for personalized forest therapy prescriptions to be implemented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence-Based Green Therapies and Preventive Medicine)
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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 4 | Viewed by 2277
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 6 | Viewed by 2822
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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Review

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19 pages, 1460 KiB  
Review
Analysis of Program Activities to Develop Forest Therapy Programs for Improving Mental Health: Focusing on Cases in Republic of Korea
by Gayeon Kim, Sinae Kang, Kyungsook Paek, Neeeun Lee, Gyeongmin Min, Youngeun Seo, Sooil Park, Seyeon Park, Hyoju Choi, Saeyeon Choi and Pyeongsik Yeon
Healthcare 2025, 13(7), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13070760 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 184
Abstract
This study aims to provide foundational data for developing forest therapy programs to improve mental health conditions by reviewing program development studies, casebooks published by governmental organizations, and existing programs conducted in forest therapy settings and analyzing the status and activities of programs [...] Read more.
This study aims to provide foundational data for developing forest therapy programs to improve mental health conditions by reviewing program development studies, casebooks published by governmental organizations, and existing programs conducted in forest therapy settings and analyzing the status and activities of programs from various disciplines in Korea and abroad. During the collection phase of mental health improvement programs, studies that were not related to depression, anxiety, or stress, or were not relevant to program development, were excluded. Additionally, studies that did not include detailed program plans were omitted from the activity analysis. The literature review focused on academic articles and theses published between 1990 and 2023, identifying 403 relevant studies. Casebooks were collected from three domains, while forest therapy programs were obtained from three forest welfare organizations. These programs were categorized/analyzed based on their general characteristics, structure, and activity content. The findings indicated that research on psychotherapy (forest therapy) programs peaked between 2010 and 2014 (2020 and 2023) in casebooks and field settings. Programs documented in the literature commonly involved 11–20 sessions lasting 60–90 min, whereas casebooks and field programs typically featured fewer than five sessions, each lasting over 180 min. Nineteen purpose-driven and 40 practical activities were identified, providing a theoretical basis for developing forest therapy programs tailored toward alleviating depression, anxiety, and stress. The proposed activities and elements can support the diversification and professionalization of forest therapy programs, fostering more effective and specialized approaches to improve mental health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence-Based Green Therapies and Preventive Medicine)
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