Green Corridors in Barcelona Would Lead to a “Notable Reduction” in Mental Disorder Cases

The implementation of green corridors throughout the city of Barcelona would lead to a "considerable reduction" in the number of adult residents who experience mental disorders, as well as the direct and indirect costs associated with such cases, according to a health impact assessment conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).

Implementing Green Corridors Throughout Barcelona

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More than 30% of the world's disease burden is thought to be caused by mental health issues. According to scientific research, green spaces improve physical and mental health through a variety of mechanisms, such as lowering exposure to air pollution, noise, and heat, lowering stress levels and promoting the body's natural healing processes, and promoting physical activity and social interaction.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects on the mental health of a city plan to, among other things, reallocate more public space to vegetation, as per Phys.org.

This project is a part of the Barcelona Superblock initiative and is referred to as Green Axes (Eixos Verds in Catalan).

Although it eventually envisions turning one out of every three streets into a green corridor, it is currently being implemented mostly in the city center.

The researchers used information from a prior study that measured the amount of greenery and the amount of land set aside for it in the city in 2015.

They then assessed how much more green space would be created throughout the entire city if the Green Axes plan was put into action.

The Barcelona Health Survey provided information on the population's mental health (2016-2017).

The researchers calculated how the expected increase in green space under the Green Axes plan will affect a number of population-wide mental health outcomes by applying the calculations from earlier studies on the association between residential green space and mental health.

The results demonstrated that the Green Axes plan, if completely implemented, would lead to a 5.67% increase in green space throughout the city, especially in residential areas.

By preventing 14% of cases of self-perceived poor mental health, 13% of visits to mental health professionals, 9% of antidepressant usage, and 8% of cases of tranquilizer/sedative use each year, an increase in vegetation would have the opposite effect.

The researchers also came to the conclusion that these population-wide improvements for mental health would result in annual cost reductions for direct and indirect mental health care of €45 million.

Natalie Mueller, a researcher at ISGlobal and the study's final author, stated that Barcelona has a problem that must be resolved immediately.

Even though Collserola park makes up 60% of the city's green space, just 11% of the area is currently designated as green space. For instance, just 6.5% of the land area of the Eixample neighborhood is designated for green space.

According to co-author Diana Vidal Yáez, this study helps demonstrate that greening is a useful technique to boost health, especially mental health, in urban environments.

According to Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Director of the Urban Planning, Environment and Health Project at ISGlobal, "Our study analyzed the possible impact of the Green Axes plan, but the conclusions do not apply specifically to Barcelona."

Every effort in any city that increases the amount of green space close to people's houses should lessen the burden of mental illness among the general populace.

However, for these advantages to be realized, interventions must be evenly dispersed throughout the city and accompanied by complementary regulations, such as high-quality public and active transportation networks, low-emission zones, and regulations to stop speculation and gentrification.

Also Read: Climate Change: Extreme Heat Increases Mental Health Issues

Problems with mental health and nature

It has been shown that spending time in nature can help with mental health issues like despair and anxiety, as per Mind.

For instance, studies on ecotherapy, a type of formal therapy that involves engaging in outdoor activities, have shown that it can help with mild to moderate depression.

This might be a result of mixing frequent physical activity, social interaction, and outdoor time with nature.

If you suffer from the seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression that affects people throughout specific seasons or times of the year, being outside in natural light can be beneficial.

Also, people tell us that spending time in nature has helped them with a variety of different mental health issues.

Concerns about climate change can also significantly affect our well-being. Spending time in nature may be beneficial if climate change is harming your mental health. You could also participate in environmental protection initiatives or campaigns.

Related article: Nature Projects Reported to Have Positive Impact on Young People's Mental Health