Clinical trial NCT05502588: Effects of Forest Bathing in Vancouver, B.C. Parks
Official title: Effects of Forest Bathing and Environmental Factors on Individual Health Responses in Vancouver, B.C. Parks
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Nature, Human
Mental Health Wellness 1
Stress, Psychological
Blood Pressure
Environmental Exposure
Anxiety
Keywords: Forest Bathing
Shinrin-yoku
Forest Therapy
Forest-based Intervention
Forest Immersion
Nature Therapy
Lead sponsor: University of British Columbia
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2022-08-16
Enrollment: 198
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 19
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Intervention model description: Participants are invited four times over one year to a forest bathing session that takes place on a barrier-free Vancouver, B.C. park trail. Each session is 2-hours including time for pre-test and post-test health measurements. At the study site participants will be randomized in 1:1 ratio to guided forest bathing walk or self-guided forest bathing walk. Subsequent sessions will be counterbalanced.
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: This study aims to investigate environmental factors that influence people's responses to the Japanese practice of forest bathing in Vancouver, B.C. parks.

Detailed description: The primary research aim is to investigate the relationship between biotic and abiotic factors in a sample of Vancouver, B.C. forested parks and specific health-related outcomes after forest bathing interventions. Forest bathing programs are a promising therapeutic method for enhancing heart rate and blood pressure functions and an effective psychological relaxation strategy. This study will investigate changes in autonomic nervous system activity and mood states after a 60-90 minute forest bathing program in four Vancouver, B.C. parks. Approximately 100 adult participants will be recruited for the study and participate in four sessions over one year. Physiological responses, pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and psychological indices will be measured before and after each session.

The health effects of forest-based interventions will vary due to environmental factors such as weather, temperature, humidity, light, and participants' psychological and physiological states. We are taking measurements pre- and post-treatment to detect any change in response during each session and seasonally.

Primary endpoint is to determine if the guided walk provides greater enhanced heart rate and blood pressure functions and an effective psychological relaxation strategy over the self-guided walk.

Secondary endpoints: 1) to determine if participants living in neighborhoods with below average street trees receive greater benefits than participants that live in neighborhoods with average or above average street trees, 2) assess changes within the same individuals over time 3) if there are different outcomes seasonally 4) if there are different outcomes between study sites.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults (19+) that are residents of Vancouver, B.C.
* Spend time on a trail in a Vancouver park for at least 60 minutes per month
* Willing to refrain from tobacco products, alcohol, caffeine, marijuana, and psilocybin for at least two hours prior to arriving at the study site and during the forest bathing sessions

Exclusion Criteria:

* Must be able to move along a barrier-free trail independently
* Non-residents (e.g. tourists)
* Children (under 19 years of age)
* Participants with pets

Primary outcomes:
measure: Abbreviated Profile of Mood States (POMS) - Change
timeFrame: Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.
measure: Cardiovascular reactivity - Heart Rate - Change
timeFrame: Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.
measure: Cardiovascular reactivity - Blood Pressure (Diastolic) - Change
timeFrame: Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.
measure: Cardiovascular reactivity - Blood Pressure (Systolic) - Change
timeFrame: Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) - Change
timeFrame: Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.
measure: Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) - Change
timeFrame: Participants are tested before and after each forest bathing session and invited to attend four sessions during the study. Assessments for each session are included until the study ends. Forest bathing sessions will be held in 2022.
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Maple Ridge
country: Canada
facility: Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
state: B.C.
city: Vancouver
country: Canada
facility: Jericho Beach Park
state: B.C.
city: Vancouver
country: Canada
facility: Pacific Spirit Regional Park
state: B.C.
city: Vancouver
country: Canada
facility: Stanley Park
state: B.C.
Study officials:
affiliation: University of British Columbia
name: John L. Innes, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: