• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a forest-based health promotion program for vulnerable school children. Methods: The specific process for program development involved establishing a program goal, assessing the needs of the participants, analyzing existing programs and constructing a forest-based program. Results: Each session of the program, which consisted of a total of 10 sessions, included 40 to 50 minutes of indoor education for children's physical and psychosocial health and 60 to 70 minutes of forest experience activities with nursing student mentors. For the application of the program, guidelines for mentor selection and prior education, physical environment check, children's safety, criteria for evaluation of the program effects and operation of the program were developed. Conclusion: This study presents the specific procedures and contents for developing a forest-based program for vulnerable school children. The results of this study will provide useful data to develop a community-based program to promote the physical and psychosocial health of vulnerable school children.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.63-74
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of 3 day Forests healing programs for cognitive improvement, which consists of helpful contents of Korean medicine. Methods : This study examined the effects of forests healing for mild cognitive impairment patients, who visited a Korean medicine hospital neuropsychiatry clinic for outpatients. The Forests healing programs for cognitive improvement was run with 24 participants, in which 9 of them quit in the middle of the program, so excluded in data analysis. The Forests healing programs for cognitive improvement was consisted of 3 day helpful Korean medicine contents. The primary outcome measurement was a Computerized Neurocognitive Test (CNT), which measured the cognitive functions with computer programs. Results : The results of this study showed that CNT scores were not significantly changed after 3 day forests healing. General psychological states, including depression, anxiety, and anger, were also checked. Among them, depressive mood significantly improved. Quality of life (QOL) was also enhanced after 3 day program. These results indicate that the 3 day Forests healing programs for cognitive improvement was effective for depressive mood and QOL of mild cognitive impairment patients, but not enough for cognitive functions directly. Conclusions : The 3 day Forests healing programs for cognitive improvement were shown to be an effective intervention in improving some aspects of mild cognitive impairment patients, including depressive mood, and QOL. We suggest that repeated participation of this program can enhance cognitive function of mild cognitive impairment patients.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.169-182
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a 3 day Hwa-Byung forests healing program, which consists of helpful contents of Korean medicine. Methods : This study examined the effects of forests healing for Hwa-Byung patients, visited Korean medicine hospital neuropsychiatry clinic for outpatients. The Hwa-Byung forests healing program was run with 20 participants; 4 of them quit in the middle of the program and excluded in data analysis. The Hwa-Byung forests healing program consisted of 3 day helpful Korean medicine contents. The primary outcome measurement was Hwa-Byung symptom score, which measured various symptoms of Hwa-Byung. Results : The results of this study showed that Hwa-Byung symptoms were significantly alleviated. General psychological states, including depression, anxiety, and anger, were significantly improved. Quality of life was also enhanced after 3 day program. These results indicate that the 3 day Hwa-Byung forests healing program was effective for the overall improvements of Hwa-Byung patients. Conclusions : The 3 day Hwa-Byung forests healing program were shown to be an effective intervention in improving the overall aspects of Hwa-Byung patients, including symptoms, depression, anxiety, anger, and Quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.341-353
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of urban forest and school forest experience programs on attitude toward the forest, psychological well-being, and stress of high school students. The subjects of this study were 26 students from a high school located in B-dong in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. They were divided into the experimental groups participating in urban forest experience and the control groups participating in school forests experience. Each group participated in the five weekly two-hour long forest experience program. We conducted a pre- and post-experience questionnaire surveys using the scale of environmental attitude toward the forest, the scale of psychological well-being, and the scale of academic stress to observe mental and psychological changes of the high school students. Data were analyzed by SPSS 23.0 program and a Wilcoxon sign rank test. There was a significant increase in the attitude toward forests of high school students participating in the forest experience programs. The groups participating in the school forest experience showed an increase in the psychological well-being although it was not statistically significant, and the groups participating in the urban forest experience showed a statistically significant increase, indicating that the forest experience affected the psychological well-being of the high school students. The groups participating in the school forest experience showed a decrease in the academic stress although it was not statistically significant, and the groups participating in the urban forest experience showed a statistically significant decrease, indicating that the forest experience affected the academic stress of the high school students.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2014

Purpose: In recent years, many attempts have been made to examine the effects of forest therapy on health and to develop related policies. This study aimed to explore the current status of health promotion programs using forests provided by public health centers and to identify program diffusion strategies employed within different communities. Methods: For this descriptive study, we analyzed the 5th regional public health care program plans and explored the perceptions of health care workers attached with the programs using open-ended questionnaires and a focus group interview. Results: This study confirmed the necessity for health promotion programs using forests, as well as administrative and educational demands for such programs. The target population of the programs ranged from individuals with specific diseases to healthy local residents. In addition, the programs covered a wide range of topics, including disease management and health promotion strategies. However, the number of well-structured regional specialized programs remained limited. Collaboration among local governments, schools, and public health centers was found to be ineffective. Conclusion: To further disseminate health promotion programs using forests, the central government will need to develop well-structured programs, provide funding and resources to support local governments, and focus on raising public awareness of the health benefits of forest therapy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2021

This study was conducted to identify the interest, needs, and preferences for forest healing programs of patients with chronic diseases. A total of 227 individuals with chronic diseases who were admitted to a university hospital were surveyed on the needs and preferences of forest healing programs. The participants of this study were 111 patients (48.9%) with cardiovascular disease, 88 patients (38.8%) with gastrointestinal diseases, 39 patients with musculoskeletal disease (17.2%), and 78 patients (34.3%) with other diseases. About 51% of all participants had heard of the forest healing programs, but 94.3% of the participants said they had no experience in participating. The frequency of forest visits was the most often once a month or not, and the reason for not being able to participate in forest healing programs was "because there was no time to spare." The participants generally preferred a small group programs with family members or their friends for one day or two days. The preferred seasons were spring and autumn, and the preferred time zones were morning and weekend, and the participants preferred outdoor programs rather than indoors. An important factors of the programs were dense forests, trees, landscape, sound, and fresh air. These preferences can be applied when developing forest healing programs for patients with chronic diseases.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.23-33
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• 2018

The purpose of this research is to develop basic materials useful for the visiting management policies' establishment of national parks by analyzing the characteristics of and satisfaction with the visit to Hallyeohaesang National Park according to travel routes. For this, a total of 671 visitors to Hallyeohaesang National Park were recruited and field surveys were conducted three times in spring, summer, and fall from March to November 2017. The Hallyeohaesang national park's visitors were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire about visitor characteristics (ex: motivation of visiting, travel routes, travel time, and participating activities, etc.) and satisfaction (ex: satisfaction with the visit, intention to revisit, and intention to recommend). SPSS 21.0 program was used for the statistical analysis: frequency analysis and independent-samples t-test analysis. As a result of analysis the motivation of visiting, those who visited only Hallyeohaesang National Park (a single destination) showed a mean value statistically significantly higher level in health improvement and vacation, relaxation, and healing compared to those who had visited or would visit other places along with Hallyeohaesang National Park (multi-destinations). Single destination visitors spent less time traveling from home to national park than multi-destinations visitors. Those who visited only Hallyeohaesang National Park (as a single destination) showed a mean value statistically higher satisfaction and intention to revisit and recommend. The results of this research have significance in providing basic materials to develop efficient park management policies by studying the characteristics of Hallyeohaesang National Park visitors.