Understanding the relationship between time spent outdoors, mental well-being and health-related behaviours in a Spanish sample: a real-time smartphone-based study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding the relationship between time spent outdoors, mental well-being and health-related behaviours in a Spanish sample

T2 - a real-time smartphone-based study

AU - Catalan Alcantara, Ana

AU - Tognin, Stefania

AU - Hammoud, Ryan

AU - Aymerich, Claudia

AU - Pedruzo, Borja

AU - Bilbao, Amaia

AU - Salazar de Pablo, Gonzalo

AU - Pacho, Malein

AU - Fusar-Poli, Paolo

AU - Gonzalez-Torres, Miguel Angel

N1 - Funding Information: This research received funding from the OSI Bilbao Basurto Research Commission. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)

PY - 2023/11

Y1 - 2023/11

N2 - Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lifestyle and physical and mental well-being. We aimed to study the effect of being outdoors and mental well-being after the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: We used smartphone based ecological momentary assessments (EMA) (Urban Mind app) to study the mental well-being of the Spanish general population. We collected socio-demographic data, past and current physical and mental health, and social and physical environment. Participants were recruited during 5 months (February to June 2021). Longitudinal associations between EMA and anxiety, depression, loneliness, tiredness, and happiness during the assessments were investigated using random intercept ordinal logistic regression models. Results: 274 subjects downloaded the app and completed the baseline assessment. 66 participants completed at least 50 % of the assessments. Being outdoors was related to a lower likelihood of anxiety (OR: 0.48, 95 %CI 0.34–0.66), depression (OR: 0.40, 95 %CI 0.28–0.56), tiredness (OR: 0.47, 95 %CI 0.35–0.63), and loneliness (OR: 0.59, 95 %CI 0.42–0.84), and a higher likelihood of happiness (OR: 2.14, 95 %CI 1.57–2.93). Conclusions: Being outdoors is related to better mental health in the general population independently of other factors (baseline mental well-being or socio-demographic characteristics). Public policies should include measurements to promote outdoor spaces in urban settings.

AB - Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lifestyle and physical and mental well-being. We aimed to study the effect of being outdoors and mental well-being after the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: We used smartphone based ecological momentary assessments (EMA) (Urban Mind app) to study the mental well-being of the Spanish general population. We collected socio-demographic data, past and current physical and mental health, and social and physical environment. Participants were recruited during 5 months (February to June 2021). Longitudinal associations between EMA and anxiety, depression, loneliness, tiredness, and happiness during the assessments were investigated using random intercept ordinal logistic regression models. Results: 274 subjects downloaded the app and completed the baseline assessment. 66 participants completed at least 50 % of the assessments. Being outdoors was related to a lower likelihood of anxiety (OR: 0.48, 95 %CI 0.34–0.66), depression (OR: 0.40, 95 %CI 0.28–0.56), tiredness (OR: 0.47, 95 %CI 0.35–0.63), and loneliness (OR: 0.59, 95 %CI 0.42–0.84), and a higher likelihood of happiness (OR: 2.14, 95 %CI 1.57–2.93). Conclusions: Being outdoors is related to better mental health in the general population independently of other factors (baseline mental well-being or socio-demographic characteristics). Public policies should include measurements to promote outdoor spaces in urban settings.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172860819&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115494

DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115494

M3 - Article

SN - 0165-1781

VL - 329

JO - Psychiatry Research

JF - Psychiatry Research

M1 - 115494

ER -