ISHS Acta Horticulturae 639: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Expanding Roles for Horticulture in Improving Human Well-Being and Life Quality
WHITE COATS, GREEN PLANTS: CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY MEETS HORTICULTURE |
| Author: | H. Frumkin |
| Keywords: | human health, mental health, horticultural therapy, hospitals, nursing homes, healing gardens |
| Abstract:
There is evidence that some kinds of environmental exposures, including contact with plants, contact with animals, views of landscapes, and wilderness experiences, may have positive health effects. Indeed, this link is the basis for such clinical practices as horticultural therapy. However, the available evidence falls short of what is routinely required of a new medication or surgical procedure. Physicians, health policy experts, and regulators require rigorous evidence of the efficacy and safety of clinical practices. This presentation will introduce the paradigm of clinical epidemiology, the field of medical research that evaluates clinical practices. It will review methods such as the randomized clinical trial, and concepts such as the safety and efficacy of clinical practices. Finally, it will propose a marriage of clinical epidemiology and horticulture, identifying key research needs and opportunities at the intersection of horticulture and human health, and suggesting ways that sound science can help evaluate and advance horticultural therapies.
“A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.” | |
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