SynthesisAge and ageing2025
Nature-based interventions for older adults: a systematic review of intervention types and methods, health effects and pathways.
Synthesis in Age and ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Effects of green exercise on mental health in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- The forest as a health-promoting place-the meaning for seniors of playing padel in the forest: a qualitative study.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2026Article
- Article
- Association of Nature-Based (Satoyama) Activities and Multiple Health Outcomes Among Older Adults: A Pilot Study.Geriatrics & gerontology international · 2026Article
- Farm-based therapeutic horticulture for people living with dementia: the Vicenza Farm Project.Frontiers in dementia · 2026Article
- Older adults' perspectives on using virtual reality to view nature landscapes in long-term care homes: a qualitative study.Innovation in aging · 2026Article
- Multidimensional determinants of active and healthy aging trajectories: a position paper from the Age-It Research Program.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2025Article
- Urban care farming for older adults: a mixed-method feasibility and acceptability study.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- Mechanisms of Virtual Reality-Based Relaxation in Older Adults: A Scoping Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- An Analytic Hierarchy Process-based case study on older adult-friendly community therapeutic landscape design.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundNature-based interventions (NBIs) may support older adults' health and well-being, but it remains unclear which interventions are most effective, for whom and in which contexts. The existing Wilkie and Davinson framework explains the pathways between NBIs and health outcomes but underemphasises the effects of environmental qualities. Therefore, the study aims to critically examine existing NBIs and their associated health outcomes, with a focus on identifying the environmental qualities and pathways that are either facilitating or impeding.
methodsThe review sought 16 databases for any nature-based interventions aimed at enhancing health outcomes where participants are older adults aged ≥65. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool assessed risk of bias. Narrative synthesis was used for result presentation.
resultsOf 6143 articles retrieved, 84 studies were included. Participants were primarily community dwelling without specific conditions. Most studies were quantitative experiments. Interventions were predominantly multicomponent, with restoring psychological capacities as the most common pathway. Spiritual, behavioural and socioecological changes were identified. Some health mechanisms were specific to outdoor interventions, but indoor interventions showed comparable outcomes.
conclusionsThe study predominantly included community-dwelling participants without specific health conditions, potentially limiting the generalisability of findings to older adults with multimorbidity or those in alternative living environments. Multicomponent interventions challenged direct associations between pathways and outcomes. Results extend existing frameworks by identifying spiritual, behavioural and socioecological benefits. Limited detailing of environmental qualities warrants further research to associate them with specific health outcomes. REGISTRATION: The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024496114).
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
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 Socratic graph.