Effects of Urban Forest Therapy on Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality in People Experiencing Cancer

Background and objective: The cancer survival rate in Korea exceeds 70%, but approximately two million people experiencing cancer face difficulties returning to daily life owing to a lack of appropriate psychological support, leading to depression, anxiety, and fear of recurrence. Despite the achievements of forest therapy, there is a dearth of research, particularly regarding its effects on people experiencing cancer. Therefore, this study examined the psychological effects of forest therapy using highly accessible urban forests after cancer treatment.Methods: The study was conducted between April 11 and June 9, 2023, with 28 participants who had completed cancer treatment and could engage in outdoor activities without difficulty. They were divided into two groups: experimental and control. The experimental group received forest therapeutic program interventions in an urban forest once a week for 8 weeks. To measure the difference in the intervention effects between the two groups, pre-, mid-, and post-assessments were conducted using the Korean version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.Results: People experiencing cancer who participated in the urban forest therapeutic program had significantly reduced depression and anxiety than those in the no-treatment group. The experimental group's sleep quality also improved after participating in the program.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that urban forest therapy can alleviate psychological difficulties in people experiencing cancer. These results suggest the need for further research into urban forest therapy as an intervention to improve the quality of life of people experiencing cancer.