Toward Improved Public Health Outcomes From Urban Nature.

ATTRIBUTION (Social psychology); CONCEPTUAL structures; ECOLOGICAL research; HEALTH behavior; EVALUATION of medical care; HEALTH policy; MENTAL health; NATURE; PRIORITY (Philosophy); RESEARCH evaluation; URBAN health; HEALTH & social status

There is mounting concern for the health of urban populations as cities expand at an unprecedented rate. Urban green spaces provide settings for a remarkable range of physical and mental health benefits, and pioneering health policy is recognizing nature as a cost-effective tool for planning healthy cities. Despite this, limited information on how specific elements of nature deliver health outcomes restricts its use for enhancing population health. We articulate a framework for identifying direct and indirect causal pathways through which nature delivers health benefits, and highlight current evidence. We see a need for a bold new research agenda founded on testing causality that transcends disciplinary boundaries between ecology and health. This will lead to cost-effective and tailored solutions that could enhance population health and reduce health inequalities. INSET: Examples of Pathways to Health Benefits From Nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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