Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28788101›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of environmental research and public health2017

Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Margaret M Hansen, Reo Jones, Kirsten Tocchini

3 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 183 papers, 18 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
183citing papers in PubMed, 18 pooled it
22.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07059390 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2027, after this paper: background citation

Changi General Hospital Complementary Health Therapy

TypeinterventionalSponsorChangi General HospitalRan2027 to 2028Enrolled1,600ConditionsDementia, Acquired Brain Injury Including StrokeArmsNature Immersion Therapy
NCT07422545 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Development and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Nature-Based Therapies in the Treatment of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms: An Adolescent Population Sample

TypeinterventionalSponsorMuş Alparslan UniversityRan2025 to 2025Enrolled60ConditionsAnxiety, DepressionArmsNature-Based Therapy
NCT07632417 naactive not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

A Study on the Effects of Forest Therapy on Sarcopenia

TypeinterventionalSponsorNational Taiwan University HospitalRan2026 to 2027Enrolled36ConditionsSarcopenia, Healthy AgingArmsForest-Based Intervention Program
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

183 citing papers in PubMed, 18 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 622 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. Community Forests and Public Health: A Research Agenda.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Pooled it
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  8. What Activities in Forests Are Beneficial for Human Health? A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
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  10. Nature's Role in Outdoor Therapies: An Umbrella Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021
    Pooled it
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  13. How Should Forests Be Characterized in Regard to Human Health? Evidence from Existing Literature.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020
    Pooled it
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  19. Trial
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123 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Margaret M HansenSchool of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94901, USA. mhansen@usfca.edu.
Reo JonesSchool of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94901, USA. rjjones2@usfca.edu.
Kirsten TocchiniSchool of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94901, USA. kntocchini@usfca.edu.
University of San Francisco · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrent literature supports the comprehensive health benefits of exposure to nature and green environments on human systems. The aim of this state-of-the-art review is to elucidate empirical research conducted on the physiological and psychological effects of Shinrin-Yoku (or Forest Bathing) in transcontinental Japan and China. Furthermore, we aim to encourage healthcare professionals to conduct longitudinal research in Western cultures regarding the clinically therapeutic effects of Shinrin-Yoku and, for healthcare providers/students to consider practicing Shinrin-Yoku to decrease undue stress and potential burnout.

methodsA thorough review was conducted to identify research published with an initial open date range and then narrowing the collection to include papers published from 2007 to 2017. Electronic databases (PubMed, PubMed Central, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Scopus) and snowball references were used to cull papers that evaluated the use of Shinrin-Yoku for various populations in diverse settings.

resultsFrom the 127 papers initially culled using the Boolean phrases: "Shinrin-yoku" AND/OR "forest bathing" AND/OR "nature therapy", 64 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this summary review and then divided into "physiological," "psychological," "sensory metrics" and "frameworks" sub-groups.

conclusionsHuman health benefits associated with the immersion in nature continue to be currently researched. Longitudinal research, conducted worldwide, is needed to produce new evidence of the relationships associated with Shinrin-Yoku and clinical therapeutic effects. Nature therapy as a health-promotion method and potential universal health model is implicated for the reduction of reported modern-day "stress-state" and "technostress.".

Indexed as

ForestsNatureWalkingAdultAgedAged, 80 and overChinaFemaleHumansJapanMaleMiddle AgedRecreation TherapyStress, Psychologicalforest bathingintegrative medicinenature therapyShinrin-Yoku

Identifiers

PMID28788101
PMCPMC5580555
OpenAlexW2740307782

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.