Next Café
Register to Join the Next Climate Café
Friday, December 20, 2024, 9–10 AM (EST)
Zoom: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/j/92641898940
Passcode: 269536 | Register here
Topic: Nature Prescribing for Adolescent Health: Results from a Scoping Review and an Exploratory Study
Café Guests
Dr Lesley Gittings
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0463-0478
Dr Lesley Gittings is an Assistant Professor in Western University’s School of Health Studies, where she teaches health sciences students about relationships between climate change and health.
Lesley is a community-engaged researcher with an interest in the social and environmental factors that shape health across the life course.
Her research focuses on: (a) participatory, nature-based and art-based approaches for youth health and well-being, and (b) social determinants of HIV and sexual and reproductive health. Lesley engages strengths-based approaches rooted in social justice principles in her research and teaching.
Sophie Paquet
Sophie Paquet is a first-year master’s student in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Western University. She recently graduated from the Bachelor of Health Sciences Honors Specialization program.
As a student researcher, Sophie is actively involved in and is exploring nature prescription programs as a holistic approach to child and youth health care.
Supervised by Dr Gittings, Sophie hopes to advance her research endeavors focusing on nature prescription programs and continue to learn about the impact of nature for healing to promote positive patient and family experiences.
Description
Let’s drink in the WeCLISH Climate Café’s Zoom room and connect over an insightful conversation with this month’s Café Guests: Dr Lesley Gittings and Sophie Paquet.
Nature prescription (Nature Rx) programs are growing in practice to promote the health and well-being of children and adolescents. Dr. Gittings and Paquet’s talk will highlight findings from their recent scoping review and exploratory studies on Nature Rx. They will delve into the barriers and facilitators to program implementation, perceived benefits of nature prescribing, and real-world applications of Nature Rx.
Additionally, they will discuss Nature Rx in relation to climate change, describing the possibilities of nature-based solutions in supporting pro-environmental behaviours, and in addressing the eco-distress the children and adolescents may face due to climate change.
Please mark your calendar and join us to listen, get inspired, and share your thoughts for an engaging conversation!
Readings
- Gittings, L., Gunz, A. C., Ncube, N., Paquet, S., Thomas, S., MacDougall, A., Yawney, N., & Imaginarium Participants. (2024). Imaginarium for Nature Prescriptions for Youth Wellbeing in London Ontario. Western University, London, Ontario. https://natureforhealing.org/reports
- Nguyen, P. Y., Astell-Burt, T., Rahimi-Ardabili, H., & Feng, X. (2023). Effect of nature prescriptions on cardiometabolic and mental health, and physical activity: a systematic review. The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(4), e313–e328. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00025-6
- Astell-Burt, T., Pritchard, T., Francois, M., Ivers, R., Olcoń, K., Davidson, P. M., & Feng, X. (2023). Nature prescriptions should address motivations and barriers to be effective, equitable, and sustainable. The Lancet Planetary Health, 7(7), e542-e543. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00108-0
