Determination of Subjective Relaxation Effects of a Hospital Rooftop Forest on Healthcare Workers / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

<B>Purpose</B><BR>  The purpose of this study was to determine the relaxing effects of a hospital rooftop forest on healthcare workers and to assess the influence of trait anxiety.<BR><B>Methods</B><BR>  Sixteen male workers (aged 37.1±10.6years, mean±SD) and 56 female workers (aged 43.5±11.2years) participated in this study. Females were divided into 32low-to medium-anxiety and high-anxiety groups according to their trait anxiety as per the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form JYZ (STAI-Form JYZ). The experimental site was a rooftop forest, which covered an area of 122 m<SUP>2</SUP>, on the fourth storey of a health service facility. An outdoor car park area of 170m<SUP>2</SUP>, near the same facility, was used as a control. All participants were assessed individually at 3 sites pre-room, rooftop forest, and outdoor car park area. Participants sat still in a wheelchair and viewed the scenery for 5minutes in each experimental area. The subjective effect was analyzed using the state anxiety as per the STAI-Form JYZ and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). The data between the rooftop forest and the control was compared within each participant. The participants were also divided into sex- and age-matched groups A and B. Group A moved to the rooftop forest from the pre-room and group B first moved to the control area to eliminate the order effect.<BR><B>Results and Discussion</B><BR>  After viewing the rooftop forest, the mean values of state anxiety as per the STAY-Form JYZ showed a significant (<I>p</I><0.01) decrease to 34.6±8.1 (43.4±8.4for control) in males and to 36.3±10.2 (45.8±8.8) in females. In low- to medium-anxiety females, state anxiety significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) decreased to a“very low”anxiety state (“low” for control), and in high-anxiety females, it significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) decreased to a “low” anxiety state (“intermediate” for control). As per the T-score of POMS, in males, “Fatigue” significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) decreased to 39.0±7.5 (41.1±7.0) and “Vigor” significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) increased to 43.3±10.4 (37.9±8.1). In females, “Tension-Anxiety” significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) decreased to 39.7±7.7 (43.7±8.8), “Depression-Dejection” significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) decreased to 43.5±6.3 (45.4±7.6), “Fatigue” significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) decreased to 40.7±7.3 (43.6±8.5), and “Vigor” significantly (<I>p</I><0.01) increased to 46.2±10.8 (38.9±8.0). After viewing the rooftop forest, the “iceberg profile” observed in the visual pattern of low- to medium-anxiety females indicated positive feelings. The “negative wing” indicating negative feelings observed in high-anxiety females in the pre-room disappeared after viewing the rooftop forest.<BR><B>Conclusion</B><BR>  We demonstrated that a short exposure to a rooftop forest environment induces a significant subjective relaxation effect in healthcare workers and that this effect is influenced by individual trait anxiety.