Nature Contact and Human Health: A Research Agenda

As people become increasingly disconnected from nature, scientists have grown more interested in how contact with nature might benefit human health. Recent decades of research have produced a good deal of evidence, but there are still major gaps in understanding. The authors propose a research agenda on nature contact and health, outlining the main areas of study and the key questions that, once answered, could support evidence-based public health strategies. They identify research questions across seven areas:

1. How nature affects the body at a biological level;
2. How to measure and define nature exposure;
3. The links between nature contact and health outcomes in populations;
4. How diversity and equity shape access and benefits;
5. The role of technology-based nature experiences;
6. The economic and policy implications; and
7. How to put findings into practice.

Nature contact may offer a range of health benefits. While a lot is already known, much remains unclear. A focused research effort targeting these unanswered questions could lead to major, meaningful advances in public health.

Abstract

Background

At a time of increasing disconnectedness from nature, scientific interest in the potential health benefits of nature contact has grown. Research in recent decades has yielded substantial evidence, but large gaps remain in our understanding.

Objectives

We propose a research agenda on nature contact and health, identifying principal domains of research and key questions that, if answered, would provide the basis for evidence-based public health interventions.

Discussion

We identify research questions in seven domains: a) mechanistic biomedical studies; b) exposure science; c) epidemiology of health benefits; d) diversity and equity considerations; e) technological nature; f) economic and policy studies; and g) implementation science.

Conclusions

Nature contact may offer a range of human health benefits. Although much evidence is already available, much remains unknown. A robust research effort, guided by a focus on key unanswered questions, has the potential to yield high-impact, consequential public health insights.