Nature’s Impact on Mental and Physical Wellbeing: A study of the mental and physical health in Greek Immigrants to Sweden

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FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND BUSINESS STUDIES

Department of Humanities

Nature’s Impact on Mental and Physical Wellbeing A study of the mental and physical health in Greek

Immigrants to Sweden

Asimina Giouvanaki

2020/2021

Master thesis, Advanced level, 30 credits Master Programme in Religious Studies

RVA 800

Supervisor: Olov Dahlin Examiner: Peder Thalén

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would first like to thank my thesis advisor Dr. Olov Dahlin of the Faculty of Education and Business Studies, Department of Humanities at University of Gävle. The virtual door to Prof. Dahlin office was always open whenever I ran into a trouble spot or had a question about my research or writing. He consistently allowed this paper to be my own work but steered me in the right direction whenever he thought I needed it.

I would also like to thank Dr. Jari Ristiniemi, Programme director of the Master Programme in Religious Studies. Without his passionate participation and input, the 2 years could not have been successfully completed.

I would also like to acknowledge Kenneth D. Schwartz, Editor at Voice of America for his invaluable feedback on my writing, Nefely Tzoumi, Mcs of National Kapodistrian University of Athens Greece for her invaluable statistical input on conducting quantitative research as well as Dr. Marianne Tatom, Shayna Litvin-Sklar, and Miralem Mehanovic for their emotional support. I am gratefully indebted to them for their valuable comments on this thesis.

Finally, I must express my very profound gratitude to my husband Pantelis, and children Despina and Spyros for providing me with unfailing patience, support, and continuous encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of researching and writing this thesis. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them.

Thank You!

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ABSTRACT

In the past Man coinhabited harmoniously with nature only to have the balance disturbed with the advent of the Industrial Revolution replacing the green habitat with urban concrete settlements Consequently, the characteristics of the contemporary city pose a set of serious threat to man’s physical and mental health. Crowdedness, lack of apt infrastructure, pollution, noise pollution and rise in temperature are all contributing factors to the Man’s demised health and detachment from previous amicable

coexistence with nature.

For the past 30 years, extensive research has been conducted studying the correlation between man and nature, and nature’s impact on man’s health. The theory of

“Biophilia,” by Edward, O. Wilson, Rachel and Stephen Kaplan’s “Attention Restorative Theory,” and Roger Ulrich’s “Stress Reduction Theory,” have been innovating and contributing towards gaining more understanding of the importance of a green environment in man’s everyday life. As a corollary the above-mentioned theories gave rise to the following quantitative study conducted over a 4-month period, including 81 respondents, in Spring 2020, focusing on whether a natural green environment in Sweden had impacted the mental and physical health in Greek immigrants to Sweden.

The findings suggest that comparing the respondents’ life in Greece and respectively in Sweden there was indeed an improvement in the mood and health of the sample groups taking into consideration: how healthy they are, how healthy they feel, how happy they feel in relation to work, time spent in Sweden, marital status and of course the parameters that focus on the part of the natural environment at home and in their neighbourhood in Sweden. There seem to have been a statistically significant improvement in their health compared to when they lived in Greece but there is insufficient evidence to support that some of the parameters examined are responsible for this. Happiness on the other hand seem to possess a statistical important role due to their marital status among others along with the green surrounding environment having an impact on their mental well-being but not their physical health. Therefore, a more sustainable green environment seems to have impacted the overall psychological and physical state of the respondents, but further extensive research is recommended to investigate in depths others factors i.e., psychosomatics, environmental psychology along with nature related theories and studies.

Keywords: Biophilia, nature, environment, rehabilitation, ramification, voluntary – involuntary attention, Stress Reduction Theory, Attention Restorative Theory, Light, Healing, Restorative garden

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Table of Figures

Table 1 ……….. 8

G01Q07 ………. 24

G01Q03 ………. 25

G01Q05 ………. 26

G01Q04 ………. 26

G01Q08 ………. 27

G01Q10 ………. 27

G01Q11 ………. 28

G01Q29 ………... 29

G01Q40 ………. 29

G01Q33 ………. 30

G01Q43 ………. 30

G01Q35 ………. 31

G01Q45 ………. 31

G01Q36 ………. 32

G01Q46 ………. 32

G01Q31 ………. 33

G01Q41 ………. 33

G01Q32 ………. 34

G01Q42 ………. 34

G01Q37 ………. 35

G01Q47 ………. 35

G01Q38 ………. 36

G01Q48 ………. 36

G01Q39 ………. 37

G01Q49 ………. 37

G01Q12 ………. 38

G01Q24 ………. 39

G01Q16 ………. 39

G01Q28 ………. 40

G01Q19 ………. 40

G01Q20 ………. 41

G01Q23 ………. 41

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G01Q17 ……… 42

G01Q18 ……… 42

G01Q14 ……… 43

G01Q26 ……… 43

Percentage of Cities of Green ……….... 45

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1.INTRODUCTION

Man has lived on earth for hundreds of thousands of years coexisting with nature, fishing, hunting, trying to find food. Plants have always played an important role in his way of life: evidence water, supplying him with easy-to-use building materials, food, medicine, clothes and much more. The controlling bond with plants is very deeply rooted in human genes and continues to manifest itself as living organisms that need the natural environment, plants as much as any other living organism (Kellert & Wilson, 1993:42- 43). On the other hand, they are social beings who live and develop in cities and prosper with the use of technology. But neither cities nor technology can replace the natural environment. There has to be a balance; a balance that has been disturbed by the urban harsh concrete environment and consequently alienated man from the physical world, his very own ecosystem leading to existential questions on one’s own identity affecting their mental and physical wellbeing (Abram, 1997:94). As David Abram points out in “The Spell of the Sensuous”:

We may acknowledge, intellectually, our body’s reliance upon those plants and animals that we consume as nourishment, yet the civilized mind still feels itself somehow separate, autonomous, independent of the body and of bodily nature in general. Only as we begin to notice and to experience, once again, our immersion in the invisible air do we start to recall what it is to be fully a part of this world…

This breathing landscape is no longer just a passive backdrop against which human history unfolds, but a potentized field of intelligence in which our actions participate (1997:260).

Consequently, this has led man to decorate their concrete urban settings with plants and flowers to reconnect to nature, beautify the space, and inhale the beneficial and pleasant fragrances to improve one’s psychological mood. In a collaborative study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School it was proven that the simple fact of having a vase displayed with flowers contributed to having an overall content mood and less depression, worry and anxiety as well as kindness and compassion to their fellow beings (Etcoff et. al, 2017:6). In the same manner, a study conducted by Roger Ulrich and his research team at Texas A&M University found that when employees have a vase of flowers in their office, they are 15% more efficient and more concentrated (El-Zeiny, 2013:52). Daily interaction and inhabiting in close proximity to a green natural environment entails a plethora of multiple benefits since they

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The characteristics of the modern city, such as high crowed concentration of, buildings, infrastructure and equipment pose a hazardous risk factor to its citizens.

Overpopulation, social alienation, degraded living conditions, and lack of basic goods such as clean water, fresh air and free space are only some of the pathologies of urbanization. Noise pollution caused by public and transport and industrial and recreational activities in the city, is also one of the most significant environmental problems negatively affecting the wellbeing of man. It is estimated that at least 20% of population of Europe is exposed daily to dangerously high levels of external noise (>

65db), while a percentage of the population around 40% exposed to noise levels (55-65 db) that cause serious ailments i.e., sleep disturbance, concentration difficulty, auditory and psychological disorders, disorders of the cardiovascular system and increase of blood pressure and heart rate frequency among others (EE¹A, 2019:74-77). The lack of green space is now one of the most important urban problems since the characterized densely populated modern cities increases not only the psychopathology of the inhabitants but also aggravates poverty, the degraded housing conditions intensely. According to EEA’s report on healthy environment, there was a significant statistical variation in easy walking distance (minutes) in various European cities demonstrating that the city space of a given country was irrelevant to their proximity to green space. While 98% of the urban population in Stockholm had green areas within walking distance that was not the case for Athens which up until 90% had more than 25-30 minutes’ walking distance to a green area (EEA, 2019:49-50).

2. AIM AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The aim and purpose of this study is to examine nature’s impact on Greek immigrants’

health and whether moving to Sweden has improved their physical and mental wellbeing. Having previous research in mind a set of questions i.e. the respondents’

interaction with nature and their green influence, distance to a from natural setting preserves and water, view from the window as well as prior and current physical and mental state were formulated so that a comparison could be made between the quality of their life in Greece to their present life in Sweden and if the relocation from one

environment to another greener one had a statistical significance:

1 European Environment Agency

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• Has the overall mental and physical wellbeing of the Greek immigrants improved upon moving to Sweden as a result of living in a greener environment?

• Is there a correlation between the natural environment and the respondents overall mental and physical wellbeing?

• Does limited contact with nature impact physical and mental wellbeing?

3. BACKGROUND

The global economic crisis of 2008 soon spread to Greece in 2009 resulting in a €45bn bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund in 2010 along with three economic adjustment bail out programmes from Eurozone. The austerity measures imposed on the Greek people lead to unemployment, insecure work conditions, mortality, suicide, and decline in mental and physical health (Mertzanidi, 2017:9-10). Lack of basic needs i.e work, food, and lack of health care forced once again a new wave of immigration abroad.

According to surveys, out of 1.5 million Greeks emigrating abroad, 2,254 Greeks immigrating to Sweden in 2012 whereas 11131 in 2019 (CSB, 2020). Having for the past 22 years worked with Greek immigrants to Sweden and prospective immigrants to Sweden the idea of this study arose. Has the overall mental and physical wellbeing of the Greek immigrants improved upon moving to Sweden as a result of living in a greener and more sustainable environment providing a better quality of life? By applying the environmental psychological theories about nature and its impact on man; “Biophilia,”

Kaplan & Kaplan’s “Attention restoration theory,” Roger Ulrich’s “Stress Reduction Theory” and Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s “Phenomenology of Perception” philosophy would there be any significant statistical findings on a quantitative study?

4. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

Extensive research concerning the positive effects of nature on humans and their mutual interaction has been conducted based on theories related to wellness in a natural

environment.

4.2. BIOPHILIA

When answering the question: What is ”Biophilia?” the closest one comes from Edward O. Wilson, "the innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes " (Wilson,

1984:1). The term biophilia which is defined as the love for life and hence the love of

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all living natural systems was first coined by the social psychologist Erich Fromm in an attempt to describe the process in which human existence seeks the other living beings or living systems of the Universe (1993:589-590). It further came into use in the 1980s when Wilson, an American biologist-Harvard entomologist, realized the consequences of alienation and thus pioneered a new school of thought that focused on the need to bring people back into contact with nature. According to Wilson, humans, over the centuries evolved into the wider context of their natural environment developing

responses to the surrounded natural stimuli (1984:94). Indeed, while our ancestors were hunter-gatherers, and later cultivators, their homes were integrated into the natural environment, human development was shaped by aesthetic interactions with nature and the properties of various natural landscapes. In the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, however, a shift to urbanization, construction, and isolation from nature led us to move away from traditional agricultural practices and active interaction with the natural world that accompanied them. As more and more people became integrated with the urban way of life and technology, they became separated from their coexistence with nature in their everyday life leading to a mental and physical disintegration (1984:20, 100).

Man seems to have a biological need to connect with nature on a physical, mental and social level; a connection that affects personal well-being, productivity, and social relationships. Simple things such as walking in a park, interacting with animals, or just having a view of the green space of one’s home or workplace through the windows and thus the act of applying biophilia can help transform an ordinary trivial space into a stimulant and relaxing environment. Although the concept of biophilia is relatively easy to understand and its effect may seem trivial, its neurological and physiological backgrounds and environmental effects are vital. Millions of nerve channels in the brain are connected to the autonomic nervous system, constituted of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic system in the body. The sympathetic system stimulates the human body when cognitive function is necessary while the parasympathetic system is used to relax the body primarily for internal processes such as digestion. When the natural balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic is aligned, the body is in the ideal state of homeostasis whereas in chaotic and disturbing environments, the body's sympathetic system enters into a triggered “fight-or flight” response. At the same time, the parasympathetic system is suppressed, disturbing our physical balance resulting in energy leakage and mental fatigue. This combination causes anxiety, frustration, irritability, and distraction. In contrast, studies suggest that human interaction with nature leads to an increase in the

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activity of the parasympathetic system and thus enhanced body function and a decrease in sympathetic activity i.e. reduced stress and irritability, and increased ability to concentrate (Harvard, 2018).

According to Stephen R. Kellert: "the manifold ways in which human beings are tied to the remainder of life are very poorly understood" (1993:54). Nevertheless, despite the lack of understanding, there is a growing recognition that this need for nature is linked not only to the material exploitation of the natural environment but also to human emotional, cognitive, aesthetic and spiritual development (1993:35). In extensive research conducted by Kellert the advantages of human interaction with nature is divided in terms of the empirical typology of nine basic values of nature:

Extracted by: https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/hp331-2012-celestine/theories-of-attitudes-and-

practices/practices/factors-contributing-to-pro-environmental-behaviors/

These values, hence, not only validates the biophilia hypothesis but also illustrates how contact with nature is applied to a varied spheres of physical, emotional and spiritual human development (Burls, 2007:29).

The belief that contact with nature, for example through the view of landscapes containing vegetation, water and other natural features, improves stress and benefits to people in general, including patients in health care settings, is evident from the earliest times in the history of China, Greece and Persia. The first hospitals in Europe were

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located in monasteries, which usually included gardens to provide "relief to the sick"

(Velarde et al. 2007:200) compared to the modern increasingly technological designed buildings. Since the early 1980s, psychologists have been studying the health effects of contact with nature, while models that promote health in the field of ecology have led to the recognition of the therapeutic role of nature developing strategies and concepts such as "Healthy Cities," "Healthy Schools," Restorative Gardens,” and ”Green Recreational Areas.” These attempts by governmental official recognises the need for the natural environment for the human health and well-being, focusing primarily on the effect of environmental degradation on health rather than the environmental deprivation (Nielsen and Hansen 2007: 30,843-845). Over the last two decades there has been a shift of attention and a growing recognition that humans are dependent on nature and this is not just for their materialistic primary needs such as water, food and shelter but also for emotional, psychological and spiritual needs (Frumkin, 2001:234-235).

4.3. ATTENTION RESTORATION THEORY

It is believed that man possesses two types of attention: voluntary and involuntary (James, 2017:87-88). According to Stephen Kaplan, voluntary attention refers to a directed attention which is used when a task requires intentional and continuous

attention (Herzog et al., 2003:159, 2017:88). In contrast, involuntary attention does not require effort; it expresses itself spontaneous and at any time. Certain elements in the environment around us, such as "strange things, moving things, wild animals, bright things, etc." can attract this kind of attention (2017:260). Hence the stimuli affecting involuntary and voluntary attention can be crucial for the cognitive mental well-being.

Based on the work of William James and Kaplan and Kaplan, attention fatigue is a process that takes place when performing cognitive tasks requiring prolonged use of directed attention and drastic suppression of irrelevant information (2017:5,203). When a person's ability to maintain directed attention becomes overloaded, performance decreases, and people therefore are subjected to increased levels of mental fatigue, leaving them less able to cope with uncertainty and have a reduced ability to plan and make plans (Korpela et al. 2001:575-576.)

Involuntary attention, on the other hand, is usually associated with contact with nature in an ordinary natural environment and its ability to restore voluntary or directed attention (Kaplan and Kaplan 1989:179). According to Kaplan and Kaplan, contact with nature contributes to recovery from this process in four ways (1989:182-183). Firstly,

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natural environments provide opportunities for man to distance himself from ordinary activities and thoughts "being away." It can be associated with easily accessible natural environments within urban areas, as well as with more remote areas in the immediate vicinity of the sea, mountains, lakes, streams, forests, meadows and other idyllic places commonly used to "escape" from the noisy city life (Kaplan, 1995:176-170). Secondly,

"fascination" is automatically associated with aspects of nature, such as clouds, sunsets, snow, and the movement of leaves in the wind, keeping one's attention effortlessly while providing ample opportunities to allow the mind of rumination. Thirdly, the feeling of "extension" of the natural environment offers a range or depth of experience in which one immerses oneself in the green setting so that the mind is rested from other worries (1995:174) Fourth, because humans have an innate affinity with nature, they share “compatibility,” where natural environments are compatible with human desires, and allow attention to rest. While non-natural experiences entail these four

characteristics, many studies have shown that contact with nature is the most common and a more reliable source of experiences that aid in mental rehabilitation and that involves all four characteristics simultaneously (1995:178-179).

An environment offering these four characteristics, or at least one or two, can potentially trigger involuntary attention, allowing directed attention to rest and refresh.

(Kaplan 1995:170). As Korpela points out the remedial experience involving all four factors working together to a relatively high degree over a given period could ultimately lead to the acquisition of the ability to deal with difficult personal matters and self- reflections over one's priorities in life (2001:395-396). In a field study in Zurich, Switzerland the findings found that visits to forests and parks promoted recovery from stress in 87% of respondents and led to a sense of balance in 40% percent of them (Hansmann et al. 2007:222-223). This reinforces the theory that the ability to regain directed attention leads to a contemplative state of mind, where people can achieve a state of tranquillity or balance where they easily can ruminate and unfold their problems (Francis and Cooper-Marcus 1991:65-66, 69).

4.4. THEORY OF STRESS REDUCTION

In the same philosophical stream of thought such as ART, Roger Ulrich’s Stress

reduction theory suggests that natural environments promote recovery from stress while the urban structured environment tends to hinder the same process (Ulrich,

1981:201,222-223). The underlying mechanism for these beneficial effects is because

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natural environments do not require large amounts of information to be processed and therefore the level of stress is reduced when a person spends time in such environments.

(Ulrich 1979:17,20). In the context of this theory, stress is defined as a set of

physiological responses to any condition that threatens well-being (Baum et al. 1985:1).

The body responds to threats through negative emotions, physiological indicators and increased autonomic nerve stimulation (Ulrich 1983;105-106, Ulrich et al. 1991:209- 210). Fear, anger, sadness, and high blood pressure and heart rate are some of the many emotions and indicators measured at the heart of the 10 stress response scale (Ulrich 1983:117-118).

Stress reduction theory argues that in the beginning of human existence the healing effects of natural environments such as savannas and water areas helped relieve stress and restore wasted energy levels and thus created a revolutionary benefit for humans (Ulrich 1983:95-96, (Ulrich et al. 1991:202-203) Because humans evolved over time in natural environments contrary to concreted urban ones, it is believed that

engagement with such green environments is still positive for modern man (Ulrich et al.

1991). Intense environments, such as cities, especially those with high levels of visual complexity, noise pollution, intensity and traffic, can adversely affect people by producing excessively high levels of stress and tiring psychological and physiological stimulus when the cortisol stress substance in the brain is activated. Because

environments containing plants or other elements of nature tend to be lower in intensity and less cluttered than many urban environments, they have comparatively positive effects that reduce stress for humans (Ulrich and Parsons 1992:95, 99-100).

Self-regulation is a process that allows man to adapt to situations or environments that are emotionally provoking using a plethora of mental, physical, social and

environmental strategies (Korpela, et al., 1992:249-250:). There are different views on how self-regulation happens. According to Korpela, environmental and emotional self- regulation strategies include the use of space and spatial influences. Studies conducted indicated that positive emotional states can be achieved and enhanced during the time spent in the natural environment, as well as during contact with nature. Findings have also confirmed that physical activity in the natural environment greatly improves positive emotions, self-esteem and behaviors (et al., 1992:256). Consequently, the positive influence of nature further favours social exchanges and interactions that lead to positive emotional states and behaviors. Thus, numerous environmental strategies i.e.

the use of natural spaces and therapeutic environments such as parks, trees, roads and

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natural water features that have been developed to change negative feelings into more positive ones strongly validates the Stress reduction theory and its importance during landscaping and restorative garden designs (Korpela et al. 2001:250).

4.5. PHENOMENOLOGY OF PERCEPTION

The impact and influence of nature and its abrupt disconnection on man has also been discussed from a phenomenological approach by David Abram’s “Spell of the

Sensuous,” in which the author draws upon the works of the primary representatives School of Phenomenology and Edmund Husserl's phenomenology and Maurice

Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Perception. To Abram man no longer perceives or actually feels his surroundings by touching the physical object by the sensory hand to surmise it as palpable, physical, or perceptible but instead frown upon the animus

“primitive” tribes with its shaman acting as a liaison between human and non-humans and hence keeping the ordinal hormonal balance between the human environment and the spiritual world (Abram, 1997:22-23,9-11,61). The notion that land and soil is perceived as inanimate in the modern digital world is fallacious and man shouldn’t disregard its power as a vessel transmitting wisdom from its elements, and the attributed sanctity or divinity in the trees, waters, and the earth man steps on. Upon changing the use and dynamic of the soil and animals to their mass cultivation in agriculture in which mathematical or scientific exploitation occurred resulted in a distinction between mind and body (soul or spirit), the “subjective” everyday experiences as something “unreal”

(1997:32).

Abram essentially finds approval from the School of phenomenology, and the works of Edmund Husserl and Maurice Merleau-Ponty to preclude the scientific logical divergence. For Husserl rejected the ubiquity of science and logic at that time which centered essentially on observation and rationale and inclined towards a more phenomenological approach that the encounter is the root to all information a person can acquire through intensive examination of its awareness and composition. One must narrow or even eliminate the outer objectification and transpire into the essential vital structures of awareness (1997:40-41). Merleau-Ponty extended the same line of thought of Husserl and rejected the credulous authenticity within the well-known conviction framework and focused on the body and his environment. There's an inner association between the body and the world; not a semantic one but one active cohesion when interacting with our immediate environment in the same manner as animals and or

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children at a pre-linguistic stage (1997:55-56). There is a connection and interaction between the normal daily means to perceive the world. Contact with the world is actually embodied and every reaction is a reaction to something. Unconscious, instinctive functions seem to engage with the conscious deliberately (Merleau-Ponty, 2005,144). Science and logical thought is not disregarded in phenomenology but it serves its purpose as a secondary expressive means built on the lived world. To wit, science follows our experience and for it to be analyzed, the experience itself, the perceived world. Experience is at the center of existence from where any intellect had arisen. “All my knowledge of the world, even my scientific knowledge, is gained from my own particular point of view, or from some experience of the world without which the symbols of science would be meaningless,” says Merleau-Ponty (2005:ix). In other words, man is not an infant or a primate mammal or a conscious as attributed by various sciences but an existence overflowing with experience. Phenomenology is an attempt to return to experience, direct contact with the world, so that man can experience it exactly as it is given to him, "experience as it is." (2005:29). In order to find this contact with the world, we are required to experience it in its entirety, in whatever particular way it is reflected in each one. Merleau-Ponty calls us to reconnect with the experienced world, against the objective, he calls us to "rediscover’’ the phenomena, the layer of living experience through which the other and things are given to us first (2005:99). This process of perception is not a passive recording of the environment but an active occupation of the mind. The senses are not just available to the mind, but absolutely necessary, the mind is constantly looking for stimuli, refusing to feel bored, a vital process, such as procreation, respiration or development" (2005:12,19,43-44).

Perception is an active, necessary process, where man is not at the mercy of stimuli that come unchanged from the objective world, he is not a mirror of reality but a constructor of experience. Similarly, to Biophilia, a key point of phenomenological thinking is the close relationship of man with the world. Man is not an external observer but energetic beings in which the world is inside man surrendered to the world (2005:

73,81-83). From the human point of view, every thought and movement have a purpose:

an object of the world in which normal nerves carve a space that surrounds the body, a lived space with a kinetic meaning. Learning arrangement of objects and the

composition of space in general, creating a kinetic habit or pattern in which man is in a relationship of knowledge with objects in the immediate surroundings and

environment (2005:79-80,140-141).

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5. PREVIOUS RESEARCH

Research on the healing properties of viewing or being present in green settings i.e forests, plants, restorative gardens has been conducted extensively over the years and thus provided much of the literature in subsequent studies. One classic but

groundbreaking study was conducted at a Pennsylvania hospital during the period 1972- 1981 where recovery outcomes of patients undergoing cholecystectomy were studied to determine whether the use of nature-view booths affected patients' recovery. Having placed 23 post surgery patients in nature-view wards, their recovery time was significantly reduced, they needed far fewer pain medications, and received fewer negative feedback from nurses than from patients who had a wall facing their ward window (Ulrich, 1984:420-421). Ulrich extended his research to investigate the

beneficial properties of green in a work setting. According to Ulrich and Parsons it was proven that regardless of the social level of people, eye contact with plants reduces stress, especially in cases of stress at work and during the daily engagement of people with stressors that suffer from the intensity of cities (1992:102-102). A similar study in Sweden on office workers who had a visual view of the green from their office window found that these employees in question were less anxious than others who saw streets or parking spaces (Lottrup et al, 2013:7-10). Furthermore, placing plants in the workplace next to the computer screens reduced the absences of staff due to various diseases and mainly absences due to flu and colds from 15% to 5% (1989:25-26). Work behaviour of 305 employees, each of whom had a different amount of green in their office in relation to cases of reports by the employees themselves of dismissal from work due to illness were examined. The results showed that the more plants there were in the offices, the less employees were missing from their jobs. In addition, the results showed that the plants helped to reduce complaints about fatigue, headaches and discomfort from nasal cavity problems (Bringslimark, 2011:586-586).

Recent research at the University of Plymouth in the UK, has established a

correlation between the ability to view the natural landscape from the window of one's home is associated with a reduced desire for alcohol, unhealthy food and smoking. As researchers previously have established, contact with nature is associated with human well-being. However, the fact that the same positive effect can only be achieved with a view of a natural landscape adds a new dimension to pre-existing research. The present study is the first to examine this idea, and it may have significant implications for both

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public health and future environmental protection programs since these findings proves the importance of investing and protecting natural resources in cities to maximize the benefits that may arise for public health (Leanne et al. 2018:1). The participants completed an online survey that explored the correlation between different forms of exposure to nature, the existence of strong, impulsive desires for a range of substances, and finally the experience of negative emotions or thoughts. Among other things, the total "green" in the neighborhood of each participant was measured, the possibility of visual contact of green spaces from his house, the access to a garden or park as well as the frequency of visits to public parks (2018:2-3). The results showed that access to a garden or a piece of greenery was associated with fewer and weaker tendencies of impulsive desires, while the view of greenery from home (areas that include more than 25% green) provoked similar responses. The study also measured the physical activity of the participants during the same period of evaluation of their strong desires. The results showed that there was a decrease in impulsive desires regardless of the level of physical activity. Cravings contribute to a range of self-destructive health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol abuse and unhealthy eating and by opting for such lifestyle may contribute critical health conditions i.e cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Therefore, future research may shed light on how "green areas" can help one become more resilient to problematic impulses and hence give the strength to cut ourselves off from harmful behaviors in the future (2018:4-6).

Contact for two hours (120 minutes) a week with nature, through walks and outdoor activities, helps significantly in maintaining a balanced physical health and mental wellbeing suggests findings of the University of Exeter School of Medicine. The novelty is that for the first time a study has not merely established that nature is beneficial but answered the question exactly how much contact is enough. Researchers, led by Dr.

Matthew White of the University of Exeter studied data of 19,800 adults, analyzing how much time they spent during the week in the natural environment (not in their home garden) and how this duration was related to their state of health and psychological state. It was found that 120 minutes is the ideal time for contact with nature, mainly with a walk no matter how large the space (park, grove, mountain, forest, beach etc) and regardless of gender, age, income, occupation and whether someone had prior chronic health problems. Furthermore, it did not matter if one spends these two hours a week gathered in a single excursion i.e on a Sunday or if the two hours session is split into shorter intervals spread over days. There was no significant relevance whether a nature

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reserve is near or far from one's home as long as one leaves their home and even sits outside on a bench (White et al, 2019:1, 7-8). A mere simple walk in nature contributes to stress reduction and lost energy recovery. More specifically, the mental health of people trying to overcome a very difficult situation, such as the death of a loved one, a dismissal or a separation, can be significantly improved by a little fresh air and greenery (Barton & Pretty, 2010:3949-3950). 40-minute group walks with over 70,000

attendance annually in the “Walking for Health” initiative validated the findings that participants who had recently experienced a stressful event i.e serious illness or the death of a loved one were in fact the ones who benefited most from nature walks (Walking for Health, 2013:13-15).

The lack of a green environment is detrimental for children and their subsequent adult life on account of the substantial risk of developing mental disorders later in life, according to recent findings in Denmark. By mapping the green spaces in children’s homes via satellite data and correlating the gathered data with the risk of developing 16 different mental disorders after adulthood statistical significance was discovered.

Children growing up in the green had an average of 55% lower risk of developing a mental disorder later in life, even if other risk factors were considered (socioeconomic status, family history of mental health) (Engemann et al, 2019:1-3). On the other hand, according to the World Health Organization, more than 450 million people suffer from a mental disorder, a number that is projected to increase in the future due to

environmental factors such as frequent noise pollution of airports or expressways, air pollution, infections, and poverty (Who, 2013:8,25-27). The best solution to facilitate children and their cognitive development is to have access to significantly green surroundings which constitute social cohesion and increased physical activity opportunities (2013:40-43).

A survey conducted in 2015 recorded a reduction in crime in areas of the city Youngstown, Ohio adjacent to new green spaces. The previous deindustrialization had left the area with huge permits and abandoned land; however a program created by the municipal authority utilized these plots; cleaning them up, fenced them, and gave a small amount to local communities to allocate as they wished (Kondo et al, 2016:3283).

In fact, it seems that the different types of green spaces that were created also had different effects on crime. For instance, cutting uncontrolled vegetation provides better visibility, which prevents offenders from hiding or stealing loot and other objects while the gardens created and cared for by the residents enhance the sense of community

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among them consequently preventing crimes of passion (2016:3287-3287). Though further research is in order, overall these findings suggest that these well-maintained neighborhood parks encourage residents to spend more time there, creating an informal surveillance system and hence prevents crime (2016:3292-3293). Similarly, in

Philadelphia, officials decide to turn some sidewalks into small green spaces with the primary goal of retaining rainwater and dealing with sewer flooding leading to

unexpected impact on crime in the city (Kondo et al, 2015:e115). A comparative study of various parts of the city including areas with and without gardens established that drug possession and trafficking fell by 18 to 27% in areas around green spaces despite the fact that during the period of the survey drug-related offenses increased by 65% in the city. "Problematic" parts of the city may have been selected for the interventions, with intense delinquency, but the presence of the municipal authority in them for the maintenance of the gardens seems to have acted as a deterrent (2015:e118-119). Last, a third study concerning the private gardens of 1,000 homes in Baltimore showed that in areas around well-preserved gardens, lower crime rates were recorded than in areas where gardens and backyards show signs of abandonment. Households that have the ability to maintain a well-kept garden are likely to have a higher economic standard, as do the neighborhoods that surround them, but the impact of a well-kept green space is undeniable (Troy et al, 2015:82-86).

When researching the correlation between nature and physical and mental wellbeing scientists have evaluated various biomarkers of stress and heart disease in blood and urine samples which revealed that residing in areas with more green leads to less stress, healthier blood vessels and therefore a lower risk of heart attack (Yeager et al, 2018:2- 3). The extent of green in residential areas compared to residents of less green areas has proven that residents of greener neighborhoods have lower levels of epinephrine, a stress indicator, in urine as well as lower concentration of oxidative stress indicator F2- isoprostane. In addition, people living in greener areas appear to have a greater ability to maintain healthy blood vessels than those living in areas without much greenery

(2018:5). Though many of the residents are on average 51 years old, overweight with high blood pressure or high cholesterol and living in areas with limited green space the results remain unchanged when taking into account other factors that may affect the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as age, gender, ethnicity, smoking, statin use, poverty and air pollution (2018:7-10).

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Japanese researchers since the mid-90s, in a series of scientific studies have also confirmed the many benefits of nature i.e stimulation of the function in the immune system, lowering blood pressure, and the production of hormones stress (adrenal cortisol, vasopressin) (Wen et al, 2019:2-4). Inhaling the forest’s volatile essential oils that have antimicrobial property also improve the quality of sleep and speed up

epithelialization after an illness. “Shinrin-Yoku,''² experiments performed on 87 non- insulin-dependent diabetics over a six-year period resulted in a blood glucose levels dropped by an average of 179 to 109 mg after walking 3-6 km in the forest. Other physical activities were also monitored to validate the effect of the forest environment.

Compared to this form of exercise, which effectively lowered glucose levels by 21.2%,

"swimming in the woods'' lowered blood glucose to a staggering 39 which effectively reduced glucose levels by 7%. (Ohtsuka, 1998:125-126). Consequently, it seems that indeed human hormonal secretions and autonomic nerve functions stabilize as we inhale organ compounds called phytoncides and compounds secreted from the forest evidently have huge health benefits that are difficult to reap in the urban and structured

environment inhabited today (2019:16-18). Furthermore, soil containing the bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae has proven to affect neurons and thus provide the same effects as antidepressants. Serotonin deficiency has been linked to depression, anxiety,

obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder and the bacterium seems to activate the cells of the immune system releasing chemicals called cytokines, acting as receptors for the sensory nerves to increase their activity (Lowry, 2021:14-15, 18-19). Research suggests that the sudden increase in asthma and allergy cases over the last century is due, unexpectedly, to the fact that people live in very clean environments and have less regular exposure to harmless microorganisms such as bacteria in the soil, halting our immune system to ignore benign molecules such as pollen (Umetsu, 2012:1). Early exposure of children to dust and bugs develops immune cells, later in life, and that there is indeed a disturbance in the body's natural bacterial flora when non-exposed to germs leading to T cell hyperactivity which is an asthma contributor (2012:1-2). In contrast the power of the soil and its healing properties are attributed to the concentrated energy in the ground transferred to the body when walking barefoot according to Dr. James Oschman. The act of walking barefoot “Grounding,” is that the earth is essentially a huge body which is negatively charged. This charge theoretically comes from electrons

2 Shinrin-Yoku - forest bathing, the ancient Japanese practice of rehabilitation walks in the natural

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and is a provider of antioxidants that contribute to the proper functioning of the human body (Oschman, 2015:7-8, 14-16). As little as 20 minutes on the ground has indicated lower levels of urea in the blood as well as increased protein metabolism creating a better balance of nitrogen in the body. Hence, it is no coincidence that many athletes choose to run barefoot in some part of their training Symptoms of an infection from injury i.e. redness, swelling, pain, loss of function and more can quickly be cured by grounding since the earth’s surface contact with the body creates a small antioxidant environment which simultaneously enhances many of the internal functions of the body as well as normalizing daily cortisol rate and its improvement in sleep patterns due to the stress hormones effect on the body’s natural heart rate (Oschman et al, 2015:84-85).

Chevalier et al also concluded that the electric fields of the soil helped fight

inflammation and pain, improved blood flow and reduced blood viscosity, reduced stress, improved sleep, and enhanced and accelerated wound healing (2015:93-94).

6. RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODS AND ETHICS

The aim and purpose of this study is to examine nature’s impact on Greek immigrants’

health and whether moving to Sweden had improved their physical and mental wellbeing.

6.2. RESEARCH DESIGN

The questionnaire was over a 4-month period in spring 2020. Eighty-one randomly chosen people who lived in Greece but now live in Sweden participated. 49.38% of the sample are men, 45.68% are women while 4.94% identified as LGBTQ ranging from ages 17 to 65 with most people being in the age category 26-35 (55.56%) and 36-50 (33.33%). The questionnaire was uploaded to the open source online statistical survey web application” LimeSurvey'' which enables users through a paid web interface to develop and publish on-line surveys, collect the responses, and finally create statistics extracted by the findings. The respondents were asked for their email so they could receive the survey link and personal participation code.

During the study, the Wilcoxon test was implemented to evaluate whether the hypothesis stating that nature as a factor and changing their living environment had a significant effect on some aspects of the respondents’ life. The Wilcoxon test is a nonparametric hypothesis testing used to spot significant differences between paired observations, or two related samples. It is used as an alternative of t-test when it cannot

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be assumed that the data are normally distributed. The null hypothesis suggests there is no significant difference while the alternative hypothesis suggests that there is.

(https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/wilcoxon-test.asp).

In the final part of the data analysis, a logistic model was used to evaluate the effect of some parameters over the main questions raised in the survey. Logistic regression, much like linear regression, finds an equation that best describes the binary dependent parameter using multiple variables. In order to apply this method, the

dependent variable was transformed in order to have two values, indicating “Bad/Good”

(0/1 values) of whether something has gotten better or worse after moving to Sweden.

Then, all variables were fitted in the model, using logit regression in the statistical program SPSS and hence the statistically significant find (Statistical Solutions, 2020).

6.3. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHOD

There are many reasons for why a quantitative questionnaire was used instead of a qualitative questionnaire in this study. When conducting a quantitative survey valuable time is saved for the actual research and under proper direction the respondents can answer all the questions. Hence, it is obvious that all the questions in the questionnaire possess a common meaning and thus the respondents should receive the same meaning from the given questions (Bechhofer & Paterson, 2000:75). This fact assists the

researcher to extract the results from the direction itself.

Further, there are also some precautions to be considered when applying this type of data collection. The most imperative is the impact of the respondents’ psychological consciousness that underlines all the answers, which means that the researcher must interpret the answers carefully and recognize theories within the social and

psychological processes involved in answering questions (Bechhofer & Paterson, 2000:90) since as previously mentioned, an array of factors affect the participant’s responses and thus the analysis of the final findings.

Regarding this study the questionnaires were anonymous so as the respondents would answer the questions as objectively as possible, drop with the most unbiased neutrality and also not be influenced or swayed by the fear of having their answers revealed publicly. They were given the possibility that should they want access to their answers and the results they could by applying the personal respondent code given to them when signing up with their emails on the survey platform. Through this process we ensured that we would have as objective answers as possible, without any deception

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of the participants' side in the research, having come to a mutual agreement with them that they indeed wish to participate in it. The questionnaires were individually answered by each participant, so that the absolute confidentiality of the answers was ensured and also received the most objective responses without influencing each other. That is why a qualitative survey was deemed the most appropriate method of gathering valid data to assist in investigating the current findings and lead to a conclusion of the study.

Finally, there was a responsibility and direct communication with respondents so that they could answer any questions related to the nature of the questions in the questionnaire when they arose. Of course, the respondents’ participation in the study was voluntary and, in this way, their consensual participation was corroborated (Bechhofer & Paterson, 2000:172).

6.4. LITERARY REVIEW

During this study, a variety of bibliographic previous research and theories were collected personally and under the guidelines of my supervisor in order to compose its objectives and research hypothesis. The primary theories, Biophilia, Attention

Restorative Theory, Stress Reduction Theory, and Phenomenology of Perception helped outline the layout and formed the basis of the present investigation paving the way for further research others had conducted on this given topic. In the next stage, its aims and objectives were determined toward applying research and outlining the key questions that needed to be addressed and answered. Then the way of collecting the necessary information was determined in order to address these questions, the interest rate of the research and the persons who constituted the sample were identified.

The relevant pre-existing bibliography focused primarily on respondents in North America, the Uk, Asia, and Northern Europe and studies performed on a sampling of participants investigating the impacts of the natural environment in man and his mental and physical state. The main avant-garde of this research, however was that for the first time statistical analysis was used to interpret qualitative data, which come from a questionnaire that collects trend data and preferences when trying to categorize

individuals relocating to Sweden and highlighting the beneficial effects on their mental and physical well-being in a further green natural surroundings.

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6.5. ETHICS

It is imperative to point out the ethics of this study since a researcher should bear in mind whether the results of the research will affect the participants and thus act

throughout the research in a way that maintains the dignity of the participants, as human beings (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:56). This constitutes ethical conduct as ethics is defined as sensitivity to other individuals' rights. By setting moral boundaries in our choices, we can reach the truth. According to this ethic, while the truth is good, respect for human dignity is better, even if, in the most extreme cases, respect for human nature leaves an ignorance of human nature (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:56). According to the theory of research ethics, the researcher must follow the following steps:

The initial stage of the research project is the access of the institution or organization where the research is to be conducted, and acceptance by those whose permission becomes necessary before the start of the research (Cohen, Manion &

Morrison, 2000:53). At this point. the researcher must present the research topic and explain its aims and purposes. What is of utmost importance is to display its ethical side so that the respondent can comprehend the intentions of the researcher and the

importance of the study in order for him to gain access. Researchers cannot expect access to a kindergarten, school, college or factory as their mere right. They must first prove that they are worthy, both as researchers and as human beings to conduct their work research in these places. (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:53).

As previously mentioned, the matter of research ethics is extremely complex steaming from numerous sources of intensity. First, there is the tension between two sets of correlated values organized by society: the belief in the value of free scientific research to achieve truth and knowledge and a belief in the dignity of individuals and their right to follow their thoughts. (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:58). In other words, there seems to be two concepts that need to be considered. The first is the freedom of scientific research aiming towards genuine knowledge and the second for the right to human dignity. The second source of tension in this case is the one produced by the prevalent by competing authoritarian and relativistic positions. The authoritarian view is clear in their view that researchers need to set principles to guide their research determined by what should and should not be done. (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:58). This means that there must be a consistent guide where researchers and their steps adhere to.

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In research ethics it is favourable that the researcher warns participants about the possibility of failure of the research and adopt regardless of the results a positive

attitude towards their participation (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:59). The sense of failure can be avoided if the researchers are willing to spend some time later to thank people for their participation, answer questions, reassure them and generally talk to them for a moment (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:59).

A fundamental ethical dilemma of researchers is the notion of the non-existent absolute correct or incorrect answer. Whichever proposal is favoured, or how the balance between the researcher and the participant was disturbed depends to a large extent on the researchers’ personal background, experiences, and values (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:60). Thus, dilemmas may exist but all of them can become balanced if the researcher examines them, through his experience and his spiritual and social background.

Imperative for the ethics of research is also the concept of privacy. In the context of research, therefore, a "right to privacy" can easily be violated during an investigation or denied upon completion. The respondent can at any time be vulnerable and therefore caution is advised (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:60). Consequently. everyone has the right to privacy, and every researcher must respect it. The essence of anonymity is that the information provided by the participants in each case should not have their identity revealed. A participant or object is considered anonymous when the researcher or other external person not involved with the research procedure cannot recognize the participant or object from the information provided. If this is achieved then it does protect a participant's privacy, no matter how personal or sensitive the information is (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:61). In the same manner another constituent prevalent in the ethics of research is betrayal. In this sense, betrayal denotes the publicity of the data, in a way that disrupts the participants and creates negative

emotions, such as nervousness. In other words, it is the breach of trust which is often a consequence of professional gain and advancement from the researcher’s side (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:63).

The second way to protect a participant’s right to privacy is through the promise of confidentiality. This means that although researchers know who provided the information or were able to identify participants from the information provided, they can in no way make the connection known to the public so as to protect the boundaries surrounding privacy (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000:63).

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7. FINDINGS

This paper examines nature’s impact on the mental and physical wellbeing on Greek immigrants to Sweden. Over a 4-month-period of Spring 2020 the questionnaire was completed by a sample of 81 people, who previously lived in Greece and now live in Sweden. 49.38% of the sample are men, 45.68% are women while 4.94% identified as LGBTQ. The sample includes a range of ages from 17 to 65 years with most people being in the age category 26-35 (55.56%) and 36-50 (33.33%). The table below indicates the age range of the respondents in detail.

Age Percentage (%) Under 16 years old 0.00

17-25 7.41

26-35 55.56

36-50 33.33

51-65 3.70

Over 65 years old 0.00

The majority of the respondents have lived in Sweden for more than 3 years (66.67%) while the rest live there for up to two years. When asked about the reasons they decided to move to Sweden, the main reason was to reside in a more humane environment and living conditions (30.86%). This was followed by other factors i.e., work (24.69%), financial factors (18.52%), studies (11.11%), a love relationship (9.88%), or recommendations from friends and old colleagues (4.93%).

G01Q07: What was the reason for choosing to move to Sweden?

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The largest percentage consists of participants with one or more degrees (82.72%) while the rest 16.05% possess a high school diploma. Only 1.23% report they did not complete high school.

G01Q03: What is your highest level of education?

Regarding their vocational rehabilitation, the biggest difference is found between the unemployed and the fully employed, with a percentage of 16.05% declaring themselves unemployed in Greece, compared to 2.47% in Sweden. Similarly, 48.15%

stated that they had a full-time job in Greece while in Sweden 67.90% stated that they now have a full-time job. As shown by the x² audit, there is a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001 at a significance level of 95%) in the figures of unemployment and full employment between Greece and Sweden. The percentages in other categories (ie part-time workers, pupils-students, housewives, etc.) are of a similar size and there is no significant difference between the two countries. This significant difference between the number of unemployed from one country to another is expected as Greece has experienced and been objected to a long-term economic crisis, with high unemployment rates in its population, in contrast to Sweden which has had a much stable economy.

G01Q05: How would you describe your former employment status

in Greece?

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G01Q04: How would you describe your current employment status in Sweden?

Most of the respondents are married (35.80%) or cohabiting (32.10%) closely followed by them who are single (29.62%). Two people did not want to answer about their marital status (2.47%). The majority of them do not have children (58.02%), while the rest have one to four children.

G01Q08: What is your marital status?

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The Wilcoxon test shows there is indeed a statistically significant increase in births since they went to Sweden, with p <0.001 at a significance level of 95%. More specifically, there is a small increase from 1.25 children on average in Greece to 1.48 children on average in Sweden.

G01Q10: How many children did you have while living in Greece?

Of the 81 people interviewed, 52 said they had one or more children after moving to Sweden. The main reason for the increase in births is the personal desire of the respondent (42.3%) closely followed by better working conditions (36.54%) and better financial conditions (34.61%). Finally, a smaller percentage of 21.15% was motivated by the desire to raise a family or adding an extra brother or sister to the existing children in the household. It is obvious that extremely high percentage of the responses are factors whose non-existence also causes uncertainty. Combined with the larger number of employees, one can assume that the respondents feel more secure to move on to the next step of their

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lives in a foreign country. The fact that most of them have been living in Sweden for several years may obviously indicate their decision to stay in the country permanently and raise a family there.

G01Q11: If you had additional children after moving to Sweden, what was the reason?

The first part of the research deals with living conditions in Sweden compared to those in Greece. More specifically, it studied whether the respondent’s answers indicate if there is a statistically significant difference in terms of the existence of cement or nature around their home, their workplace, the area where they live and in general the feeling of security they feel in the place where they lived and now live.

Starting from the housing and living conditions, they were asked if they viewed more cement or green from the windows of their house. The answers were given using a scale from 1 to 7, with 1 indicating "mainly cement" and 7 "mainly green". There is a big difference between life in the two countries, which is also statistically significant (p

<0.001 at 95% significance level), with the view from the windows in Greece showing an average value of 3 and the view from the windows in Sweden an average value of 6, based on the scale used.

G01Q29: In Greece, was the view outside the window(s) of your

main living space in your home (bedroom, living room, kitchen,

etc) mostly of concrete, buildings, etc. or mostly of natural

elements like trees, grass, etc?

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G01Q40: In Sweden, from the main living spaces in your home (kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc) is the view outside the

window(s) mostly of concrete, buildings, etc. or mostly of natural elements like trees, grass, etc?

The same goes for the workplace. But even when asked to describe the area in which they lived in Greece and that living in Sweden (scale 1: 7, where 1: "mainly cement" and 7: "mostly green") it appears that the score on average for Sweden is 6, which

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means that green prevails, while for Greece it is 3, which means that there is more cement than green. This difference is statistically significant (p <0.001) at 95% significance level.

G01Q33: Please describe your neighbourhood/the area where you lived in Greece?

G01Q43: Please describe your neighbourhood/the area where you

live in Sweden. (1 = mostly concrete, buildings, etc, 7 = mostly

trees, grass, etc)?

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Following this round of questions, they were asked to answer whether they agree with the sentence "In Greece, there was a park or nature preserve in your local area that was easily accessible". The same question was asked of Sweden. The choices ranged from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The Wilcoxon test shows a statistically significant difference for the two countries (p <0.001 for a significance level of 95%).

Specifically, the average level that the sample agrees with this phrase for Greece is 4, while for Sweden the corresponding average level is 6.

G01Q35: In Greece, was there a park or nature preserve in your local area that was easily accessible?

G01Q45: There is a park or nature preserve in your local area that is easily accessible?

In addition, when asked if they perceive that in their neighbourhood there are pleasant natural elements, both for Greece and for Sweden, and using the same scale, the same results were obtained as in the previous question.

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G01Q36: In Greece, were there pleasant natural features in your local area?

G01Q46: Are there pleasant natural features in your local area?

Questions asked about the existence of a garden and a green element in the yard of houses in both Greece and Sweden showed that 38.27% of the sample had a garden in Greece, while in Sweden this percentage is significantly higher and reaches 83.95%. It is noted that a percentage of 3.70% chose not to answer the question about Sweden.

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G01Q31: In Greece, did your home have access to a yard with trees, grass, a garden or other natural “green” elements (like bushes)?

G01Q41: In Sweden, does your home have access to a yard with trees, grass, a garden or other natural “green” elements (like bushes)?

Similarly, when asked if there is a liquid element in their yards, in Greece only 22.22%

had something like this, while in Sweden 56.79% have a yard with some kind of liquid element such as a lake, river, stream, etc. It is also noted that in this Question A 7.41%

chose not to answer about their home in Sweden. These differences between the green

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and the liquid element for life in the two countries appear to be statistically significant (p

<0.001) at a significance level of 95%.

G01Q32: In Greece, did your home have access to a yard with a pond, lake, stream or other natural “blue” elements

(like a river)?

G01Q42: In Sweden, does your home have access to a yard with a pond, lake, stream or other natural “blue”

elements (like a river)?

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Also of interest is the question of the time it takes in Greece and Sweden to get to a park near their home. The results show that in Sweden it takes an average of six to 10 minutes to reach a park, while in Greece it takes an average of 11-20 minutes. This difference is statistically significant (p <0.001) at 95% significance level. This difference is expected and is in agreement with the above results according to which it was found that there are more intense natural elements in Sweden than in Greece.

Nature’s Impact on Mental and Physical Wellbeing: A study of the mental and physical health in Greek Immigrants to Sweden

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND BUSINESS STUDIES