UniSA Clinical and Health Science, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 22;19(1):68. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010068.
The world is becoming increasingly urbanised, impacting human interactions with natural environments (NEs). NEs take a number of forms, ranging from pristine, modified, to built NEs, which are common in many urban areas. NEs may include nature-based solutions, such as introducing nature elements and biological processes into cities that are used to solve problems created by urbanisation. Whilst urbanisation has negative impacts on human health, impacting mental and physical wellbeing through a number of mechanisms, exposure to NEs may improve human health and wellbeing. Here, we review the mechanisms by which health can be improved by exposure to NEs, as explained by Stress Reduction Theory, Attention Restoration Theory, and the 'Old Friends'/biodiversity hypothesis. Such exposures may have physiological and immunological benefits, mediated through endocrine pathways and altered microbiota. Citizen Science, which often causes exposure to NEs and social activity, is being increasingly used to not only collect scientific data but also to engage individuals and communities. Despite being a named component of scientific and environmental strategies of governments, to our knowledge, the intrinsic health benefits of Citizen Science in NEs do not form part of public health policy. We contend that Citizen Science programs that facilitate exposure to NEs in urban areas may represent an important public health policy advance.
世界正变得日益城市化，这影响了人类与自然环境（NE）的相互作用。NE 有多种形式，从原始的、经过改造的到建成的 NE 都很常见于许多城市地区。NE 可能包括基于自然的解决方案，例如将自然元素和生物过程引入城市，以解决城市化带来的问题。虽然城市化对人类健康有负面影响，通过多种机制影响心理和身体健康，但接触 NE 可能会改善人类健康和幸福感。在这里，我们根据压力减轻理论、注意力恢复理论和“老朋友”/生物多样性假说，回顾了通过接触 NE 改善健康的机制。这种接触可能通过内分泌途径和改变微生物群产生生理和免疫益处。公民科学经常会导致接触 NE 和社会活动，它越来越多地被用于不仅收集科学数据，还用于吸引个人和社区。尽管公民科学是政府科学和环境战略中的一个命名组成部分，但据我们所知，公民科学在 NE 中的内在健康益处并未构成公共卫生政策的一部分。我们认为，促进城市地区接触 NE 的公民科学计划可能代表着公共卫生政策的重要进步。
