Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda

Evidence from high-income settings suggests that gardening is associated with reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. The benefits of gardening are less well understood by mental health practitioners and researchers from low- and middle-income countries. Our study estimated the association...

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Main Author: Herbert, E. Ainamani...[et al]
Format: Article
Published: Preventive Medicine Reports 2021
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Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/514
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author Herbert, E. Ainamani...[et al]
author_facet Herbert, E. Ainamani...[et al]
author_sort Herbert, E. Ainamani...[et al]
collection KAB-DR
description Evidence from high-income settings suggests that gardening is associated with reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. The benefits of gardening are less well understood by mental health practitioners and researchers from low- and middle-income countries. Our study estimated the association between participation in gardening and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among caregivers of people living with dementia in rural, southwestern Uganda. In a cross-sectional study, we interviewed 242 family caregivers of people with dementia to elicit their gardening activities; symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales); and caregiving burden (Zarit Burden Interview). Linear multivariable regression models estimated the association between participation in gardening and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Out of 242 participants, 131 (54%) caregivers were involved in gardening. Severe to extremely severe symptoms of depression were less prevalent among those who were involved in gardening compared with those who were not (0 [0%] vs. 105 [95%], P < 0.001), as were severe to extremely severe symptoms of anxiety (36 [27%] vs. 110 [99%], P < 0.001) and stress (2 [2%] vs. 94 [85%], P < 0.001). In regression models adjusting for covariates,we found statistically significant associations between participation in gardening and symptoms of depression (b = -18.4; 95% CI, 20.5 to 􀀀 16.3), anxiety (b = -16.6; 95% CI, 􀀀 18.6 to –14.6), and stress (b = -18.6; 95% CI, 􀀀 20.6 to –16.6). Caregivers of people with dementia who participate in gardening have lower symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Gardening interventions in this at-risk population may ameliorate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
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spelling oai:idr.kab.ac.ug:20.500.12493-5142024-01-17T04:49:50Z Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda Herbert, E. Ainamani...[et al] anxiety caregiving burden dementia depression gardening mental health sub-Saharan Africa Uganda Evidence from high-income settings suggests that gardening is associated with reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. The benefits of gardening are less well understood by mental health practitioners and researchers from low- and middle-income countries. Our study estimated the association between participation in gardening and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among caregivers of people living with dementia in rural, southwestern Uganda. In a cross-sectional study, we interviewed 242 family caregivers of people with dementia to elicit their gardening activities; symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales); and caregiving burden (Zarit Burden Interview). Linear multivariable regression models estimated the association between participation in gardening and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Out of 242 participants, 131 (54%) caregivers were involved in gardening. Severe to extremely severe symptoms of depression were less prevalent among those who were involved in gardening compared with those who were not (0 [0%] vs. 105 [95%], P < 0.001), as were severe to extremely severe symptoms of anxiety (36 [27%] vs. 110 [99%], P < 0.001) and stress (2 [2%] vs. 94 [85%], P < 0.001). In regression models adjusting for covariates,we found statistically significant associations between participation in gardening and symptoms of depression (b = -18.4; 95% CI, 20.5 to 􀀀 16.3), anxiety (b = -16.6; 95% CI, 􀀀 18.6 to –14.6), and stress (b = -18.6; 95% CI, 􀀀 20.6 to –16.6). Caregivers of people with dementia who participate in gardening have lower symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Gardening interventions in this at-risk population may ameliorate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Kabale University 2021-07-30T17:51:39Z 2021-07-30T17:51:39Z 2021 Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/514 application/pdf Preventive Medicine Reports
spellingShingle anxiety caregiving burden dementia depression gardening mental health sub-Saharan Africa Uganda
Herbert, E. Ainamani...[et al]
Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda
title Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda
title_full Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda
title_fullStr Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda
title_short Participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda
title_sort participation in gardening activity and its association with improved mental health among family caregivers of people with dementia in rural uganda
topic anxiety caregiving burden dementia depression gardening mental health sub-Saharan Africa Uganda
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/514
work_keys_str_mv AT herberteainamanietal participationingardeningactivityanditsassociationwithimprovedmentalhealthamongfamilycaregiversofpeoplewithdementiainruraluganda