HealthDay (8/22, Thompson) reported a study found that “local parks and neighborhood greenery protected people’s mental health from the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Researchers noted that “depression increased nearly two-fold during the pandemic, with both men and women more frequently diagnosed,” but observed that “middle-aged adults and seniors had a reduced risk of depression if they lived in greener neighborhoods.” Furthermore, they found that “the greener a person’s neighborhood, the lower their risk for depression.” Researchers concluded, “Our findings suggest that green spaces may have played a modest, yet meaningful, role in supporting the mental well-being of lower-income Canadians during the pandemic, offering some relief amid deepening socio-economic inequities.” The study was published in PLOS One.
Related Links:
— “Green Spaces Provided Pandemic Protection Against Depression, Study Says,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, August 22, 2025