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Prevention of Poor Physical and Mental Health through the Green Social Prescribing Opening Doors to the Outdoors Programme: A Social Return on Investment Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Abraham Makanjuola

    (Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME), College of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2PZ, UK)

  • Mary Lynch

    (Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Ned Hartfiel

    (Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME), College of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2PZ, UK)

  • Andrew Cuthbert

    (School of Medicine Cardiff, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4EP, UK)

  • Rhiannon Tudor Edwards

    (Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME), College of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2PZ, UK)

Abstract

There is growing interest in green social prescribing and connecting with nature-based activities to promote social cohesion along with improving levels of health, wealth and well-being. The Outdoor Partnership is a third sector organisation based in North Wales offering nature based social prescribing interventions. Individuals experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing are referred from GPs, community mental health services, and third sector organisations to the ‘Opening the Doors to the Outdoors’ (ODO) programme which is a 12-week outdoor walking and climbing green prescribing intervention. The purpose of the ODO programme is to provide a supportive environment to increase levels of physical activity among participants leading to improvements in overall health and mental wellbeing while promoting socialisation among peers. In this evaluation of a preventative green social prescribing intervention, a mixed method social return on investment (SROI) approach used quantitative and qualitative data from ODO participants. Data collection took place from April 2022–November 2022. Mental wellbeing data was collected at baseline and at 12 weeks using the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, a social trust question, an overall health question, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire- short form. Baseline and follow-up data was available for 52 ODO participants. Results indicate that for every £1 invested in the ODO programme, social values ranging from £4.90 to £5.36 were generated.

Suggested Citation

  • Abraham Makanjuola & Mary Lynch & Ned Hartfiel & Andrew Cuthbert & Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, 2023. "Prevention of Poor Physical and Mental Health through the Green Social Prescribing Opening Doors to the Outdoors Programme: A Social Return on Investment Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:12:p:6111-:d:1169585
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rhiannon Tudor Edwards & Catherine Louise Lawrence, 2021. "‘What You See is All There is’: The Importance of Heuristics in Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) and Social Return on Investment (SROI) in the Evaluation of Public Health Interventions," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 653-664, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Abraham Makanjuola & Mary Lynch & Llinos Haf Spencer & Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, 2023. "Prospects and Aspirations for Workforce Training and Education in Social Prescribing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-12, August.

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