Nature Prescriptions for Mental Health Wellness

Overseen By Maria Gioia, MD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Disqualifiers: None

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 72

Duration: 6 months

134 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to examine if and how implementing nature prescriptions can increase time in nature and improve health to yield an actionable understanding of the nature-health connection. It aims to explore how public green spaces can be better used to improve individual and community health. Finally, this study aims to advance science by conducting a randomized controlled trial to improve understanding of the linkages between time in nature and human health.

Research Team

Gretchen Daily, PhD

Principal Investigator

Stanford University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for people aged 13-65 living in the Pittsburgh area with chronic conditions or significant lifestyle risks. They must be patients at AHN Forbes Family Medicine, willing to follow study procedures, and have a smartphone for the required apps. Minors need parental consent.

Inclusion Criteria

Participants must be willing and able to provide informed consent to participate

Participants must have a smartphone that is capable of running the Urban Mind App and connecting to the Garmin wearable device (iPhone 6 and newer as well as most Android phones)

Participants must be willing to comply with all study procedures for the duration of the study

Exclusion Criteria

None, must meet all inclusion criteria

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive a nature prescription and are monitored using a GPS-enabled wearable device for 6 months

6 months

Regular monitoring through wearable devices and app-based assessments every 72 hours

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Park prescription
• Regular health advice

Trial Overview The study tests if 'nature prescriptions'—encouraging time spent in green spaces—can improve health compared to regular health advice. It's a randomized controlled trial that tracks participants using an app and wearable device over six months.

Participant Groups

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

The treatment group will receive information regarding wellness factors by the doctor (health advice) and they will be asked to follow those recommendations for the duration of the study. In addition they will also receive a park prescription specifying a target amount of time to spend in nature, along with frequency of visits and recommended locations (e.g., specific parks), and information about parks and programming in the study area.

Group II: Control Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The control group will receive regular health advice and information regarding wellness factors by the doctor and they will be asked to follow those recommendations for the duration of the study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Richard King Mellon Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

2

Recruited

260+

Allegheny Health Network

Collaborator

Trials

6

Recruited

1,100+

Allegheny Singer Research Institute (also known as Allegheny Health Network Research Institute)

Collaborator

Trials

52

Recruited

13,000+