Evidence-based Field Research on Health Benefits of Urban Green Area

국문 초록 (Abstract)

건강과 삶의 질 향상에 대한 관심이 커짐에 따라 도시녹지가 가져다 주는 건강편익이 크게 주목되고 있지만, 이에 관한 객관적이고 과학적인 데이터는 매우 부족한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 도시녹지가 가져다 주는 건강편익에 대한 과학적 자료를 얻기 위해 생리적, 심리적 지표를 활용하여 실험을 실시하였다. 과거병력이 없는 20대 남자 대학생 20명이 실험에 참가하였고, 자극은 녹지와 도시에서 실제의 경관을 15분간 감상하는 것으로 하였다. 이번 연구는 충남대학교 의학전문대학원 생명윤리심사위원회의 승인을 받은 후 실시되었다. 녹지와 도시에 대한 생리반응을 분석한 결과, 도시에 비해 녹지에서 심박동수가 현저히 감소하였고, 안정상태에서 증가하는 부교감신경활동이 유의하게 향상되었으며, 스트레스호르몬의 일종인 코티솔 농도가 낮아지는 경향이 보였다. 심리반응에 있어서는 부정적인 감정과 정신상태가 녹지에서 보다 유의하게 낮아진 반면, 활력은 유의하게 증가하였다. 이번 연구의 결과는, 녹지를 접하는 것이 심리적 변화뿐만 아니라 인체의 자율신경계와 내분비계 활동에 긍정적 변화를 가져다 준다는 것을 보여주는 것으로써, 녹지가 도시민의 건강증진과 관련하여 매우 직접적인 환경요인이 될 수 있음을 과학적으로 뒷받침한다고 할 수 있다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

With increasing interest in health promotion and quality of life, growing attention has been focused on the beneficial effects of urban green area. However, very few evidence-based approaches have been conducted on the health-related benefits of urban greenery. Therefore, this study examined the health-related benefits of green areas using physiological and psychological indices to obtain evidence-based data on these benefits. Twenty male university students were selected as subjects. Data were collected when participants viewed landscapes in a green area or an urban area for fifteen minutes. This research was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of School of Medicine, Chungnam National University. Physiological data in the green area revealed significantly decreased heart rates, significantly increased high-frequency value of heart rate variability, an index of parasympathetic activity, and reduced salivary cortisol concentration, a stress hormone, compared to the urban area. Psychological tests showed the green area significantly reduced the negative mood state and psychological symptoms, and significantly increased the positive mood state. Our data provided evidence for the health-related benefits of green areas, and the findings of this study support that green areas can play a critical role in health promotion for urban residents, by positively affecting autonomic nervous and endocrinal activities.

참고문헌 (Reference)

1 이영경, "경관의 치유적 특질이 관광지 방문 선호 및 만족에 미치는 영향- 경주 유산경관에 대한 미국인의 평가를 중심으로 -" 한국조경학회 34 (34): 1-13, 2006

2 Leather, P., "Windows in the workplace" 30 : 739-763, 1998

3 Groenewegen, P. G., "Vitamin G: Effects of green space on health, well- being, and social safety" 6 (6): 1-9, 2006

4 Ulrich, R. S., "Visual landscapes and psychological well-being" 4 : 17-23, 1979

5 Takano, T., "Urban residential environments and senior citizens’ longevity in megacity areas: the importance of walkable green spaces" 56 : 913-918, 2002

6 Friedman, M., "Type A Behavior and Your Heart" Knopf 1974

7 Lee, J., "The restorative effects of viewing real forest landscapes: based on a comparison with urban landscapes" 24 (24): 227-234, 2009

8 Kaplan, S., "The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework" 15 : 169-182, 1995

9 신원섭, "The influence of forest view through a window on job satisfaction and job stress" 22 (22): 248-253, 200701

10 IUHPE, "The evidence of health promotion effectiveness: shaping public health in a new Europe" ECSC-EC-EAEC 1999

11 Osgood, C. E., "The Measurement of Meaning" University of Illinois Press 1957

12 Kaplan, R., "The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective" Cambridge University Press 1989

13 Ulrich, R. S., "Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments" 11 : 201-230, 1991

14 Kirschbaum, C., "Salivary cortisol in psychoneuroendocrine research: recent developments and applications" 19 : 313-333, 1994

15 Hartig, T., "Restorative effects of natural environment experience" 23 : 3-26, 1991

16 Herzog, T. R., "Reflection and attentional recovery as distinctive benefits of restorative environments" 17 : 165-170, 1997

17 Sluiter, J. K., "Reactivity and recovery from different types of work measured by catecholamines and cortisol: a systematic literature overview" 57 : 298-315, 2000

18 Park, B. J., "Psychological effects of ingesting eucalyptus essential oil with milk casein peptide" 43 (43): 173-179, 2009

19 Tzoulas, K., "Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using Green Infrastructure: A literature review" 81 (81): 167-178, 2007

20 박범진, "Physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest) in a mixed forest in Shinano Town, Japan" TAYLOR FRANCIS AS 23 (23): 278-283, 2008

21 박범진, "Physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest) - Using salivary cortisol and cerebral activity as indicators-" Japan Society of Physiological Anthropology 26 (26): 123-128, 2007

22 박범진, "Physiological Effects of Forest Recreation in a Young Conifer Forest in Hinokage Town, Japan" FINNISH SOC FOREST SCIENCEFINNISH FOREST RESEARCH 43 (43): 291-301, 2009

23 Miyazaki, Y., "Nature therapy, In Designing Our Future: Perspectives on Bioproduction, Ecosystems and Humanity" United Nations University Press 407-412, 2011

24 Spielberger, C., "Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory" Consulting Psychologists Press 1983

25 Murata, T., "Individual trait anxiety levels characterizing the properties of Zen meditation" 50 (50): 189-194, 2004

26 Lee, J., "Human response in contact with turf grass mowed at three different heights" 34 (34): 139-142, 2008

27 Seplaki, C. L., "How are biomarkers related to physical and mental well-being" 59 : B201-B201, 2004

28 Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology, "Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use" 93 (93): 1043-1065, 1996

29 Iwanaga, M., "Heart rate variability with repetitive exposure to music" 70 (70): 61-66, 2005

30 Maas, J., "Green space, urbanity, and health: how strong is the relation" 60 : 587-592, 2006

31 Suda, A., "Experimental study on cerebral hemodynamics during observation of plants" 1 : 214-219, 2007

32 Murray, C. J. L., "Evidence-based health policy-Lessons from the global burden of disease study" 274 : 740-743, 1996

33 Weise, F., "Effects of modified respiratory rhythm on heart rate variability during active orthostatic load" 48 : 549-556, 1989

34 Sakakibara, M., "Effect of relaxation training on cardiac parasympathetic tone" 31 : 223-228, 1994

35 Lee, J., "Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese male subjects" 125 : 93-100, 2011

36 Mitchell, R., "Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study" 372 (372): 1655-1660, 2008

37 Derogatis, L. R., "Confirmation of the dimensional structure of the scl-90: A study in construct validation" 33 (33): 981-989, 1977

38 Nelson, D. J., "Comparison of conventional and non- invasive techniques for the early identification of diabetic neuropathy in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes" 7 (7): 305-310, 2006

39 이영경, "Beneficial Effect of Forest Landscape on Relieving Stress Based on Psychological and Physiological Measures" 한국조경학회 31 (31): 70-82, 2003

40 Cacioppo, J. T., "Autonomic cardiac control. II. Noninvasive indices and basal response as revealed by autonomic blockades" 31 : 586-598, 1994

41 Mcnair, D. M., "An analysis of mood neurotics" 69 (69): 620-627, 1964