Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38590811›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in public health2024

Does nature-based social prescription improve mental health outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Rashid Menhas, Lili Yang, Zulkaif Ahmed Saqib, Muhammad Younas, Muhammad Muddasar Saeed

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

28 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
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  7. Social prescribing for people recovering from treatment for cancer: a systematic scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  8. Testing nature-based biopsychosocial resilience theory: a research programme protocol.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2026
    Article
  9. Nature prescription for patients with chronic respiratory diseases.The World Allergy Organization journal · 2026
    Review
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  11. Article
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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

5 authors.

Rashid MenhasDepartment of Nursing, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, and International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, China.
Lili YangDepartment of Nursing, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, and International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, China.
Zulkaif Ahmed SaqibCollege of Urban Transportation and Logistics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, China.
Muhammad YounasSchool of Educational Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Muhammad Muddasar SaeedInternational Education College Chinese and Western Medicine Clinic, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: A nature-based social prescription (NBSP) is an approach to improving mental health outcomes that involves prescribing nature-based interventions as complementary or alternative therapy to traditional ones. A variety of advantages are available from NBSP for people looking to enhance their mental well-being. The effect size of the nature-based social prescriptions (NBSPs) has not been thoroughly evaluated by systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Objectives: The current study aimed to analyze existing studies and conduct a meta-analysis to determine the overall effect size of the nature-based social prescriptions (NBSP's) outcomes on mental health. Methods: By choosing the relevant papers from among those that were available, a meta-analysis was carried out in the current study. A systematic search of electronic databases (Pub Med, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and PsychINFO) was conducted to identify relevant studies. Studies were included if they evaluated the effects of NBSP on mental health outcomes. Effect sizes were calculated using the random effects model. Results: Meta-analysis of interventions statistics shows that CBT (SMD -0.0035; 95% CI: [-0.5090; 0.5020]; Tau^2: 0.1011; Tau: 0.318), digital intervention (SMD -0.3654; 95% CI: [-0.5258; 1.2566]; Tau^2: 0.2976, Tau: 0.5455), music intervention (SMD -2.1281; 95% CI: [-0.4659; 4.7221]; Tau^2: 3.4046; Tau:1.8452), and psychological interventions (SMD -0.8529; 95% CI: [0.3051; 1.4007]; Tau^2: 0.1224; Tau: 0.3499) do not significantly impact. The other interventions [social belongingness, communication training, blue intervention, nature-based education, cognitive behavior group therapy (CBGT), social prescribing coordinator, self-help intervention, participatory, organizational intervention, inpatient services, brief diet, internet-based intervention, prenatal intervention, yoga and meditation, ergonomics training program, yoga nidra intervention, and storytelling] highlighted above are significant. Conclusion: The conclusion of the meta-analysis supports the idea that incorporating nature-based social prescription interventions into mental healthcare plans can effectively complement traditional therapies and improve mental health outcomes. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023412458, CRD42023412458.

Indexed as

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyMeditationYogaHumansMental HealthOutcome Assessment, Health Careeffect sizeinterventionsmental healthnaturesocial prescription

Identifiers

PMID38590811
PMCPMC10999630

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.