The Effect of Nature Based Environmental Education on the Health Related Quality of Life of Low Income Black and Hispanic Youth

Abstract

The Effect of Nature-Based Environmental Education on the Health-Related Quality of Life of Low-Income Black and Hispanic YouthNadav Sprague1, Christine C. Ekenga11 Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USABackground: Urban, low-income, Black and Hispanic youth experience multiple health and educational disparities. These youth also experience disparities in nature contact, an environmental exposure that has been associated with enhanced physical and emotional well-being. Nature-based education (NBE) uses nature contact to promote healthy behaviors and academic success in youth. However, few studies have evaluated the health outcomes of NBE. In this prospective study, we evaluated the impact of NBE on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of low-income, urban Black and Hispanic youth.Methods: Participants were recruited from four schools in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The sample consisted of 378 children, ages 9-15 years old, assigned to an intervention group or a school-matched control group. The 15-week intervention included weekly environmental in-class lessons and monthly nature-based trips. Study participants completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires that included demographic questions and six validated HRQoL domains (Physical Health Functioning, Emotional Health Functioning, School Functioning, Social Functioning, Family Functioning, and overall HRQoL). Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the intervention’s influence on HRQoL.Results: Approximately 61% of the intervention group and 17% of the control group experienced a clinically significant improvement in overall HRQoL. After adjusting for age and past environmental education and nature-contact experiences before entering the intervention, the NBE intervention was associated with a clinically significant improvement in overall HRQoL (OR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.01, 2.43).Conclusion: Nature-based education is a low-cost method for improving HRQoL and for low-income, urban, Black and Hispanic youth.