BACKGROUND: Loneliness, a major public health concern, could be alleviated through social interventions with nature contact as a primary component. "Friends in Nature" is a complex nature-based social intervention designed to be implemented as part of "Reimagining Environments for Connection and Engagement: Testing Actions for Social Prescribing in Natural Spaces" (RECETAS). This project aims to alleviate loneliness and promote health-related quality of life in six different geographic areas worldwide. Feasibility studies are crucial to assess the viability of complex interventions and study procedures before conducting definitive studies. This paper aims to describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of the six-related feasibility studies on the "Friends in Nature" intervention. These studies specifically evaluate feasibility of recruitment and study procedures, intervention implementation, and data collection and distribution. METHODS: We defined a comprehensive set of indicators to assess the feasibility of "Friends in Nature." For the first domain, recruitment procedures were assessed to determine their adequacy, while attrition rates were examined to assess participant retention. For the second domain, the implementation of interventions was evaluated, along with the study design's ability to adapt to unexpected situations and participant adherence to the intervention. Finally, for the third domain, completion rates and the acceptability of the study activities were also analyzed. The feasibility of using specific scales to assess loneliness and well-being was also explored. RESULTS: The feasibility indicators defined for this study were useful to assess the feasibility of "Friends in Nature." Recruitment procedures were generally found to be adequate, and the number of dropouts was low. Interventions were implemented with minor adjustments, and facilitators played a vital role in the well-functioning of the interventions. Although some unexpected situations occurred during the study, adaptations were made, and participants were generally satisfied with the activities proposed. Scales used to assess loneliness and quality of life showed potential for measuring the effects of nature-based social prescribing in the full trial. CONCLUSION: This paper offers valuable insights into the design and execution of feasibility studies for complex interventions like "Friends in Nature." Findings from these assessments explore the feasibility of "Friends in Nature" and will inform the main RECETAS studies, which are designed to strengthen the evidence base to support the use of nature-based social prescribing to reduce loneliness and promote quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Barcelona trial: NCT05488496, Prague trial: NCT05522140, and Helsinki trial: NCT05507684.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: The negative effects of loneliness on population health and wellbeing requires interventions that transcend the medical system and leverage social, cultural, and public health system resources. Group-based social interventions are a potential method to alleviate loneliness. Moreover, nature, as part of our social and health infrastructure, may be an important part of the solutions that are needed to address loneliness. The RECETAS European project H2020 (Re-imagining Environments for Connection and Engagement: Testing Actions for Social Prescribing in Natural Spaces) is an international research project aiming to develop and test the effectiveness of nature-based social interventions to reduce loneliness and increase health-related quality of life. METHODS: This article describes the three related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that will be implemented: the RECETAS-BCN Trial in Barcelona (Spain) is targeting people 18+ from low socio-economic urban areas; the RECETAS-PRG Trial in Prague (Czech Republic) is addressing community-dwelling older adults over 60 years of age, and the RECETAS-HLSNK trial is reaching older people in assisted living facilities. Each trial will recruit 316 adults suffering from loneliness at least sometimes and randomize them to nature-based social interventions called "Friends in Nature" or to the control group. "Friends in Nature" uses modifications of the "Circle of Friends" methodology based on group processes of peer support and empowerment but including activities in nature. Participants will be assessed at baseline, at post-intervention (3 months), and at 6- and 12-month follow-up after baseline. Primary outcomes are the health-related quality-of-life according to 15D measure and The De Jong Gierveld 11-item loneliness scale. Secondary outcomes are health and psychosocial variables tailored to the specific target population. Nature exposure will be collected throughout the intervention period. Process evaluation will explore context, implementation, and mechanism of impact. Additionally, health economic evaluations will be performed. DISCUSSION: The three RECETAS trials will explore the effectiveness of nature-based social interventions among lonely people from various ages, social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. RECETAS meets the growing need of solid evidence for programs addressing loneliness by harnessing the beneficial impact of nature on enhancing wellbeing and social connections. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Barcelona (Spain) trial: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT05488496. Registered 29 July 2022. Prague (Czech Republic) trial: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT05522140. Registered August 25, 2022. Helsinki (Finland) trial: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT05507684. Registered August 12, 2022.
- MeSH
- kvalita života * MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- osamocení * psychologie MeSH
- randomizované kontrolované studie jako téma MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- sociální práce MeSH
- výzkumný projekt MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- protokol klinické studie MeSH
