ASSOCIATIONS OF URBAN GREEN SPACE USE WITH ANXIETY, STRESS AND INSOMNIA SYMPTOMS AMONG FINNISH SUBURBAN RESIDENTS

Objectives: There is compelling evidence of the positive effects of nature exposure on mental health. However, a growing proportion of the population lives in cities, where the incidence of mental health problems is higher than in rural environments. To examine whether nature in suburban areas associates with mental health indicators, we examined the association of visiting and viewing of green spaces with anxiety, stress and insomnia symptoms among suburban residents. Materials and methods: The data consisted of a postal and online survey collected in ten suburban areas of Finland in 2021 (n=1667). We analysed the association of visiting and viewing of green spaces with anxiety, stress and insomnia symptoms using multinomial regression analysis, in the whole dataset and stratified by gender and age tertiles. Results: Visits to green spaces during the warm season 1–2 times a week (vs. no visits) were associated with higher likelihood of the absence of anxiety symptoms in men, women and those over 56 years old. Visits to green spaces during the warm season were also associated with no stress in women and those over 56 years old, and no insomnia symptoms in men. Viewing green spaces was associated with no stress and low level of insomnia symptoms only in those over 56 years old. Conclusions: Viewing and visiting green spaces are associated with lower levels of anxiety, stress and insomnia symptoms. The associations were stronger among women and those aged over 56 years. Further research is needed on the association of urban green space use on young people's mental health.