Outdoor Activity Associated with Higher Self-Reported Emotional Well-Being During COVID-19

M. Pilar Fernandez, Kacey C. Ernst, Gebbiena M. Bron, Kevin Berry, Maria A. Diuk-Wasser, Mary H. Hayden

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Shifts in activity patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic might have impacted the benefits of outdoor activities for mental health. By leveraging an existing mobile application, we collected self-reported data on daily outdoor activities, emotional well-being, and the influence of COVID-19 on participant’s outdoor activity levels during April–July 2020. Individuals reporting outdoor activities, in greenspaces or in their residence, had higher well-being scores and this effect increased with age. Self-reported impacts of COVID-19 on emotional well-being were associated with lower well-being scores. This work suggests that outdoor activities may have improved mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)154-158
Number of pages5
JournalEcoHealth
Volume19
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2022

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • Mental health
  • Outdoor activities
  • Well-being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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