Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Health Benefits Of Nature For Children In Urban, Suburban, And Rural Settings, Suzanne Tillmann

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A growing body of research suggests that increasing children’s exposure to natural environments can have positive benefits for their overall health and well-being. Using a mixed-methods approach, this thesis uses (a) surveys and spatial analyses within a geographic information system framework to examine how individual-level and environmental factors are associated with children’s health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and (b) semi-structured focus groups with children to understand how children living in a rural community define nature, experience nature, and perceive the benefits and drawbacks of nature. Results suggest that in addition to a number of important individual level variables, certain environmental …