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Abstract
This article reviews Nordic literature on Green Care for people out of work or school, or with mental health- and/or drug-related problems, published from 1995 to April 2014. Green Care is a well-established international concept that uses animals, plants and nature in an active process to offer health-promoting activities for people. Reports, evaluations and scientific articles are included. The main finding was that the Green Care services described in the literature provided positive activities for our target group. Seven main categories emerged during the analysis: mastery and coping, positive effects on mental health, physical activity, structure and meaningfulness, the feeling of dignity produced by performing a decent ordinary job, social gains, animals and nature experienced as being supportive. Essential intervention factors identified can be described as: (i) contact with animals, (ii) supportive natural environments, (iii) the service leader as a significant important other, (iv) social acceptance and fellowship with other participants and (v) meaningful and individually adapted activities in which mastery can be experienced. These five components interact in a holistic way; the synergetic effects extend the sum of the single factors.
Denne artikkelen ser på Nordisk litteratur som omhandler Grønn omsorg tilbud til mennesker utenfor skole eller arbeidsliv, eller med psykiske og/eller rusrelaterte problemer, publisert fra 1995 til april 2014. Grønn omsorg er et velkjent internasjonalt konsept hvor dyr, planter og natur brukes aktivt for å tilby helsefremmende aktiviteter for mennesker. Rapporter, evalueringer og vitenskapelige artikler er inkludert. Hovedfunnet var at Grønn omsorg tjenestene som er beskrevet i litteraturen bidrar til positive aktiviteter for målgruppen vår. Sju hovedkategorier oppsto gjennom analysen: mestring, positive effekter på psykisk helse, fysisk aktivitet, struktur og meningsfullhet, følelsen av verdighet gjennom å utføre en «vanlig» jobb, positive sosiale effekter, dyr og natur som opplevdes som støttende. Viktige intervensjonsfaktorer viste seg å være: i) kontakt med dyr ii) støttende naturlige omgivelser iii) tiltakslederen som en signifikant viktig person iv) sosial aksept og samhold med andre deltagere v) meningsfulle og individuelt tilpassede aktiviteter hvor mestring kan oppleves og erfares. Disse fem faktorene virker sammen i en helhet; synergieffektene overgår summen av de enkelte faktorene.
Acknowledgments
The research was conducted at Hedmark University College, Elverum.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Anne Mari Steigen is a Ph.D. student at Hedmark University College, Faculty of Public Health, Elverum, Norway and Karlstad University, Faculty of Art and Social Science, Sweden. Her Ph.D. work focuses on Green Care services for young people out of school or work related to drug or mental health problems.
Ragnfrid Kogstad, Ph.D. is a sociologist and professor of mental health care at Hedmark University College, Faculty of Public Health, Elverum, Norway. Her current research focuses on recovery processes, Green Care Services, human rights in mental health care and various other issues related to mental health care.
Jan Kåre Hummelvoll is a psychiatric nurse, BA, Doctor of Public Health and professor of mental health at Buskerud and Vestfold University College. He has for many years been a professor of psychiatric nursing and mental health care at Hedmark University College, and has also been an adjunct professor at Gjøvik University College and Vestfold University College. Hummelvoll has published numerous books and articles about psychiatric nursing and mental health care and is especially engaged and interested in practice-related research and knowledge development.