The Wildman Programme—Rehabilitation and Reconnection with Nature for Men with Mental or Physical Health Problems—A Matched-Control Study

Simon Høegmark, Tonny Elmose Andersen, Patrik Grahn, Anna Mejldal and Kirsten K. Roessler
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Simon Høegmark: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
Tonny Elmose Andersen: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
Patrik Grahn: Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-234 56 Alnarp, Sweden
Anna Mejldal: Unit of Clinical Alcohol Research, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
Kirsten K. Roessler: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: Men with health problems refuse to participate in rehabilitation programmes and drop out of healthcare offerings more often than women. Therefore, a nature-based rehabilitation programme was tailored specific to men with mental health problems, and long-term illnesses. The rehabilitation programme combines the use of nature, body, mind, and community spirit (NBMC) and is called the ‘Wildman Programme’. The presented study was designed as a matched-control study with an intervention group participating in the Wildman Programme (N = 114) compared to a control group receiving treatment as usual (N = 39). Outcomes were measured at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 6 months post-intervention (T3). The primary outcome was the participants’ quality of life measured by WHOQOL-BREF, which consists of four domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. The secondary outcomes were the level of stress measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the participants’ emotional experience in relation to nature, measured by the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). The intervention group improved significantly in the physical and psychological WHOQOL-BREF domains and in PSS at both follow-ups. The participants’ interest in using nature for restoration increased significantly as well. The only detectable difference between the control group and the intervention group was in the WHOQOL-BREF physical domain at the 6-month follow-up. For further studies, we recommend testing the effect of the Wildman Programme in an RCT study.

Keywords: chronic diseases; instoration; long-term illnesses; mental health; NBMC method; nature-based rehabilitation; restorative environments; stress; supportive environments; quality of life (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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