The articles in the database below represent a curated selection from our NHA (full) members and Executive Committee. Rather than being a comprehensive database, like what you would find on a mainstream database, this is a limited and curated list of articles gathered by our member. To be included, these peer-reviewed articles and resources must meet specific criteria, ensuring a foundation of quality. Articles included cover a diverse array of study types—experiments, qualitative research, and meta-analyses—all exploring the intricate relationship between nature and well-being. Priority is accorded to works addressing DEIJ matters or fostering consensus on vital topics. If you would like to submit an article to be featured in the database, please email manager@naturehealthalliance.org.
Authors:Daniel W. Derbyshire, Olivia Barnett-Naghshineh, Bethany R. Roberts, Riadh Ghemmour, Musarrat Maisha Reza, Morwenna Rogers and Lora E. Fleming |
| Equity in Education & Society | Volume 2, Issue 1
Inequalities within academia – and the research outputs of academic – are a widely acknowledged problem. This results in the reproduction of knowledge gaps within academic praxis.
Authors:Omar Mohamed Makram, Nwabunie Nwana, Juan C. Nicolas, Rakesh Gullapelli, Alan P. Pan, Budhaditya Bose, Tareng Parekh, Sadeer Al-Kindi, Tamer Yahya, Kobina Hagan, Zulqarnain Javed, Kershaw Patel, Garima Sharma, Stephen L. Jones, Miguel Cainzos-Achirica, Jay E. Maddock and Khurram Nasir |
| Current Problems in Cardiology | Volume 48, Issue 6 (June 2023)
This is the first study to investigate the relationship between neighborhood walkability and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in the United States using a large population-based database.
Urban design that is supportive to walking is becoming an important and proven determinant of health, especially cardiovascular health. This study examined the link between walkability and cardiovascular risk factors by studying close to one million patients in an urban setting.
Authors:Annalisa Theodorou, Luciano Romano, Gregory N. Bratman, Giuseppe A. Carbone, Roberta Rodelli, Gianluca Casagrande and Angelo Panno |
| Journal of Environmental Psychology | Volume 87: 101981
The body of evidence supporting the psychological benefits of exposure to virtual nature, such as increased mood and decreased stress, is rapidly growing.
Authors:Joanne K. Garrett, Mathew P. White, Lewis R. Elliott, James Grellier, Simon Bell, Gregory N. Bratman, Theo Economou, Mireia Gascon, Mare Löhmus, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Ann Ojala, Anne Roiko, Matilda A. van den Bosch, Catharine Ward Thompson and Lora E. Fleming |
| Scientific Reports | Scientific Reports: 2209
The effects of ‘nature’ on mental health and subjective well-being have yet to be consistently integrated into ecosystem service models and frameworks.
Authors:Emily E. Scott, Kaedyn W. Crabtree, Amy S. McDonnell, Sara LoTemplio, Glen D. McNay and David L. Strayer |
| Frontiers in Psychology | Volume 14: 1039334
Research suggests that spending time in natural environments is associated with cognitive and affective benefits, while increased use of technology and time spent in urban environments are associated with depletion of cognitive resources and an increasing prevalence of mental illness.
Authors:Matthew H.E.M. Browning, Seunguk Shin, Gabrielle Drong, Olivia McAnirlin, Ryan J. Gagnon, Shyam Ranganathan, Kailan Sindelar, David Hoptman, Gregory N. Bratman, Shuai Yuan, Vishnunarayan Girishan Prabhu and Wendy Heller |
| Scientific Reports | Scientific Reports: 1239
Exposure to natural environments offers an array of mental health benefits. Virtual reality provides simulated experiences of being in nature when outdoor access is limited. Previous studies on virtual nature have focused mainly on single "doses" of virtual nature. The effects of repeated exposure remain poorly understood.
Authors:Jill S. Litt, Katherine Alaimo, Kylie K Harrall, Richard F. Hamman, James R Hébert, Thomas G Hurley, Jenn A Leiferman, Kaigang Li, Angel Villalobos, Eva Coringrato, Jimikaye Beck Courtney, Maya Payton and Deborah H Glueck |
| The Lancet Planetary Health | Volume 7, Number 1, January 2023: e23-e32
Unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and social disconnection are important modifiable risk factors for non-communicable and other chronic diseases, which might be alleviated through nature-based community interventions. We tested whether a community gardening intervention could reduce these common health risks in an adult population that is diverse in terms of age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
The purpose of this study was to examine the health benefits of the Bayou Greenway trail system in Houston by tracking patterns and changes in hospital visits.
Authors:Bridget Simon-Friedt, Alan P. Pan, Tariq Nisar, Sadeer Al-Kindi, Amanda Nunley, Lisa Graiff, Bita Kash, Jay E. Maddock and Khurram Nasir |
| Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability | Volume 28, Issue 3 (2023): 365-378
Exposure to urban greenspaces has been linked to improved health outcomes for prevalent conditions. Studies have observed traditional block greenspaces, whereas linear trail systems could maximise health impacts by reaching greater population percentages.
Authors:Valeria Vitale, Leanne Martin, Mathew P. White, Lewis R. Elliott, Kayleigh J. Wyles, Matthew H.E.M. Browning, Sabine Pahl, Patricia Stehl, Gregory N. Bratman, Simon Bell, Mireia Gascon, James Grellier, Maria L. Lima, Mare Löhmus, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Ann Ojala, Jane Taylor, Matilda A. van den Bosch, Netta Weinstein and Lora E. Fleming |
| Journal of Environmental Psychology | Volume 84: 101876
Contact with natural environments is associated with good health and well-being.
Authors:Jay E. Maddock, Courtney Suess, Gregory N. Bratman, Carissa Smock, Debra Kellstedt, Robbie Layton, Richard W. Christiana, Teresa Horton, Jeanette Gustat, Cynthia K. Perry and Andrew T Kaczynski |
| Ecopsychology | Volume 14, Issue 3
Time spent in nature (TSN) is related to improved health and well-being; however, many adults spend little time in nature. Interventions based on health behavior theories may be effective at increasing TSN.
Spending time in nature is proven to be good for your health. Interventions based on health behavior theories may be effective at increasing time spent in nature only if we have a better understanding of attitudes towards this behavior.
Authors:Diana Grigsby and Jong Cheol-Shin |
| Science of the Total Environment | Volume 836, 25 August 2022, 155302
Mask-wearing and social distancing are critical prevention measures that have been implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19. The degree to which these measures are adhered to in the US, however, may be influenced by access to outdoor resources such as green space, as well as mask mandates that may vary by state.
Authors:Audrayana Nay, Peter H. Kahn Jr., Joshua J. Lawler and Gregory N. Bratman |
| Land | Volume 11, Issue 8: 1277
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone in urban areas. Some of these impacts in the United States have negatively affected People of Color more than their White counterparts.
Authors:Carlos Andres Gallegos-Riofrío, Hassan Arab, Amaya Carrasco Torrontegui and Rachelle K. Gould |
| Current Research in Environmental Sustainability | Volume 4
We explore two as-yet-unconnected trends: evidence of nature's effects on mental health/wellbeing, and acknowledgment that behavioral research is overwhelmingly informed by globally non-representative societies.
Authors:Angelo Panno, Annalisa Theodorou, Chiara Massullo, Gregory N. Bratman, Claudio Imperatori, Giuseppe A. Carbone and James J. Gross |
| Health Care for Women International | Volume 44, Issue 7-8: 885-902
Many researchers suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic may have more negative effects on women than men.
Authors:Jie Yin, Gregory N. Bratman, Matthew H.E.M. Browning, John Spengler and Hector A. Olvera-Alvarez |
| Journal of Environmental Psychology | Volume 81
The beneficial association between nature contact and human health is often explained with psycho-evolutionary frameworks such as stress reduction theory and the savanna hypothesis. However, evidence is limited on how natural environments that are not green affect stress. One example is the desert, which does not offer affordances for nourishment or safety in an evolutionary sense.
