Integrating Green Care Initiatives into Conventional Health Systems: Which Governance Dimensions Can Guide This Process?

Alessandra Rigo, Elena Pisani, Laura Secco
Author Information
  1. Alessandra Rigo: Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF), University of Padova, Agripolis-Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy. ORCID
  2. Elena Pisani: Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF), University of Padova, Agripolis-Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy. ORCID
  3. Laura Secco: Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TESAF), University of Padova, Agripolis-Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy. ORCID

Abstract

Green Care initiatives (GCIs) encompass various interventions that support physical, mental, and social well-being through interaction with nature. Integrating GCIs into conventional healthcare systems is a complex task that requires multi-actor and multi-level governance efforts. This study examines, through a systematized literature review, the relevant governance dimensions to facilitate the inclusion of GCIs in traditional care pathways. From the analysis of the 36 selected studies, four key dimensions were identified: organizational structure, knowledge, legitimacy, and decentralization. The analysis highlights the need to strengthen the responsibility of Green Care actors as healthcare service providers, enhance local authorities' role in creating new integrated service delivery networks, combine different knowledge perspectives, and legitimize non-healthcare actors. Recommendations are made to address these governance aspects to facilitate the integration of GCIs and channel their benefits in prevention and health promotion. Adopting an adequate governance framework is fundamental for mainstreaming GCIs in current healthcare systems.

Keywords

References

  1. Environ Int. 2023 Nov;181:108234 [PMID: 37832260]
  2. Curr Opin Psychol. 2020 Apr;32:12-16 [PMID: 31349129]
  3. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010 Feb;18 Suppl 1:S45-53 [PMID: 20107461]
  4. BMC Public Health. 2012 Sep 12;12:774 [PMID: 22971107]
  5. J Health Organ Manag. 2009;23(5):539-53 [PMID: 19862881]
  6. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Dec 11;11:566098 [PMID: 33424653]
  7. BMC Fam Pract. 2011 Nov 02;12:119 [PMID: 22044577]
  8. Front Public Health. 2020 Mar 18;8:52 [PMID: 32257986]
  9. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 Jul 28;14(8): [PMID: 28788101]
  10. Acta Biomed. 2020 May 11;91(2):379-388 [PMID: 32420978]
  11. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019 Apr 24;19(1):239 [PMID: 31014349]
  12. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 21;19(19): [PMID: 36231229]
  13. J Community Health. 2017 Aug;42(4):639-648 [PMID: 27900514]
  14. BMC Public Health. 2017 Apr 8;17(1):306 [PMID: 28390403]
  15. Health Policy. 2014 May;116(1):1-11 [PMID: 24485914]
  16. BMC Public Health. 2022 Jun 22;22(1):1238 [PMID: 35733142]
  17. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 15;17(10): [PMID: 32429198]
  18. Soc Sci Med. 2013 Sep;92:74-82 [PMID: 23849281]
  19. PLoS Med. 2009 Jul 21;6(7):e1000097 [PMID: 19621072]
  20. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 12;19(16): [PMID: 36011593]
  21. Eur Endocrinol. 2019 Aug;15(2):106-112 [PMID: 31616502]
  22. Annu Rev Public Health. 2017 Mar 20;38:329-349 [PMID: 28125390]
  23. Trends Ecol Evol. 2020 May;35(5):407-414 [PMID: 32294422]
  24. Soc Sci Med. 2010 May;70(10):1492-500 [PMID: 20207462]
  25. BMJ. 2019 Jan 28;364:l265 [PMID: 30692085]
  26. Med J Aust. 2008 Apr 21;188(S8):S57-60 [PMID: 18429738]
  27. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Oct 20;19(20): [PMID: 36294204]
  28. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Apr 14;16(8): [PMID: 31013959]
  29. Animals (Basel). 2017 Apr 13;7(4): [PMID: 28406428]
  30. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Jun 17;15(6): [PMID: 29914199]
  31. Lancet. 2018 Mar 17;391(10125):e11-e14 [PMID: 25662416]
  32. Health Policy Plan. 2004 Nov;19(6):371-9 [PMID: 15459162]
  33. Aust J Prim Health. 2018 May 28;: [PMID: 29804559]
  34. Bioscience. 2023 Dec 26;74(1):25-43 [PMID: 38313563]
  35. Lancet. 2007 Sep 8;370(9590):851-8 [PMID: 17826170]
  36. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Sep 19;16(18): [PMID: 31546902]
  37. BMC Psychol. 2016 Apr 08;4:16 [PMID: 27059602]
  38. Front Public Health. 2022 Oct 28;10:1042589 [PMID: 36388322]
  39. Lancet Planet Health. 2023 Feb;7(2):e109-e111 [PMID: 36754465]
  40. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2018 Jul 27;11:349-358 [PMID: 30100730]
  41. Int J Environ Health Res. 2005 Oct;15(5):319-37 [PMID: 16416750]
  42. AIMS Public Health. 2016 Jun 13;3(2):389-406 [PMID: 29546171]
  43. Environ Health Perspect. 2017 Jul 31;125(7):075001 [PMID: 28796634]
  44. Cien Saude Colet. 2021 Jun 14;26(suppl 1):2415-2430 [PMID: 34133623]
  45. Sports (Basel). 2019 Jun 10;7(6): [PMID: 31185675]
  46. Explore (NY). 2010 Mar-Apr;6(2):106-11 [PMID: 20362268]
  47. Scand J Public Health. 2011 Jun;39(4):371-88 [PMID: 21273226]
  48. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2020 Mar;2(3):167-173 [PMID: 32073759]
  49. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Sep 04;20(17): [PMID: 37681848]
  50. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2011 Dec 02;11:13 [PMID: 22136318]
  51. BMJ. 2019 Jan 28;364:l295 [PMID: 30692081]
  52. Annu Rev Public Health. 2019 Apr 1;40:261-282 [PMID: 30633714]
  53. Community Ment Health J. 2015 Feb;51(2):175-84 [PMID: 24965090]
  54. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Nov 04;18(21): [PMID: 34770112]
  55. J Public Health (Oxf). 2018 Dec 1;40(4):e586-e593 [PMID: 29688551]
  56. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2020 Apr-Jun;56(2):206-214 [PMID: 32567570]
  57. Psychol Health. 2011 Sep;26(9):1113-27 [PMID: 21929476]

MeSH Term

Humans
Delivery of Health Care
Health Promotion

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0GCIshealthcaregovernanceGreenCareinitiativesIntegratingsystemsliteraturereviewdimensionsfacilitatecareanalysisknowledgeactorsservicehealthgreenencompassvariousinterventionssupportphysicalmentalsocialwell-beinginteractionnatureconventionalcomplextaskrequiresmulti-actormulti-leveleffortsstudyexaminessystematizedrelevantinclusiontraditionalpathways36selectedstudiesfourkeyidentified:organizationalstructurelegitimacydecentralizationhighlightsneedstrengthenresponsibilityprovidersenhancelocalauthorities'rolecreatingnewintegrateddeliverynetworkscombinedifferentperspectiveslegitimizenon-healthcareRecommendationsmadeaddressaspectsintegrationchannelbenefitspreventionpromotionAdoptingadequateframeworkfundamentalmainstreamingcurrentInitiativesConventionalHealthSystems:GovernanceDimensionsCanGuideProcess?governanceblueareasnature-based

Similar Articles

Cited By