The long-term effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the associations between neighbourhood greenness and mental health in Stockholm County, Sweden

Source abstract

Exposure to residential greenness has been shown to mitigate anxiety and stress, buffering negative mental health impacts of COVID-19 restrictions. In 2020, a cross-sectional survey in Stockholm County, Sweden, examined associations between residential greenness and mental health during the early pandemic. To evaluate potential long-term effects, a follow-up survey was conducted in 2022. This study aimed to assess whether these associations persisted and whether nature-related behaviours changed after the pandemic. Cross-sectional data from 2020 and 2022 were compared. Residential greenness was quantified using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), calculated within 50 m, 100 m, 300 m, 500 m, and 1000 m buffers surrounding participants’ residences. Mental health outcomes included well-being, vitality, depressive symptoms, and perceived and cognitive stress. Across the pooled data, higher residential greenness was consistently associated with better mental health. Associations were generally stronger in 2020 than in 2022, suggesting that contact with nature may be especially beneficial during acute stress or social isolation. Findings underscore the role of urban greenness in supporting mental health resilience during crises and indicate that the pandemic may have led to lasting shifts in nature-related behaviours. Further longitudinal research is needed to clarify long-term effects of environmental and behavioural changes on population mental health.