The Impact of Utilizing Rural Cultural and Environmental Resources on the Heart Rate Variability of Educational Welfare Workers

This study analyzed the impact of agro-healing programs utilizing rural cultural and environmental resources on educational welfare officers' heart rate variability (HRV).The study involved 18 educational welfare officers working at elementary, middle, and high schools in G Province.HRV data were collected before and after the agro-healing activities using a pulse wave measurement device (uBioClip v70), and changes in stress levels, vascular health index, and heart rate were compared and analyzed.As a result, the agro-healing program significantly reduced the stress levels of the educational welfare officers (Z = -3.549,p < .05).After the program, most participants experienced a reduction in stress levels, with the stress relief effect being particularly evident among those who had chronic stress or had experienced repeated stress.This suggests that the agro-healing program had a positive impact on individual stress reduction.However, no statistically significant changes were observed in the vascular health index and heart rate (Z = -0.784,p > .05;Z = -0.349,p > .05).This suggests that changes in vascular health and heart rate may require long-term lifestyle changes and continuous management, rather than short-term agro-healing activities.Therefore, this study confirmed that agro-healing programs utilizing rural cultural and environmental resources have a positive impact on stress reduction for educational welfare officers.Future research should increase sample sizes to strengthen the reliability of the findings and expand the verification of the effects of agro-healing programs across various occupational groups.Additionally, long-term studies are essential to analyze the sustained effects of agricultural healing and develop tailored programs suited to individual characteristics.Subsequent studies should also assess the comprehensive effects of agrohealing by including various physiological indicators such as hormone changes and brainwave responses.