Trends and knowledge gaps in the study of nature-based participation by Latinos in the United States
Multidisciplinary research on the relationship of social, cultural, and economic factors to nature contact and outcomes in US Latinos is urgently needed
The aim of this systematic review of the literature was to synthesize the existing literature on nature contact by Latinos in the United States. The overall goal focused on assessing the state of knowledge relating to nature-based participation by Latinos and to identify related research gaps so that health outcomes could be improved for this ethnic group.
A list of 159 documents was generated through a literature search in six databases (Google Scholar, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, PubMed, and PsychInfo) for the years 1900 – 2016, along with a review of the publication references. Fifty-one of the documents in the initial list did not meet the inclusion criteria for this review – that is, articles reporting primary research data relating to nature-based experiences of Latino groups. Of the remaining 108 publications, 83% were peer-reviewed, 12% technical reports, and 5% grey literature. Most of the studies were cross-sectional or descriptive. Only 4% were controlled experiments and 1% longitudinal. Most of the studies were published in the last decade, and over 50% contrasted different ethnic groups versus focusing specifically on Latino populations. Almost 60 % of the studies focused on adults versus children; and the setting for most of the nature-related activities were in parks. Most of the studies (over 60%) focused on urban populations; and 51% took place in one of three states — California, Arizona, or Texas.
The researchers evaluated each of the studies in relation to 21 potential research topics within four broad categories: (1) Use (how visitors or participants used park or outdoor resources, (2) Theme (the general approach of the study, (3) Outcomes (measured responses or outcomes to participation in outdoor or nature-based activities), and (4) Access (barriers to participation or use). Visitation and use was investigated more often than any of the other themes or topics related to those themes.
Approximately one-third of the studies measured physical health outcomes of nature contact. Other outcomes — such as well-being, socialization, and education — were rarely measured. Studies investigating barriers to nature contact tended to focus on proximity. Other potential barriers – such as discrimination and acculturation — were less often investigated. Less than 7% of the studies investigated interventions.
This review highlights an “increased urgency” for multidisciplinary research that examines interactions between social, cultural, and economic factors and how these relate to nature contact and outcomes for Latinos in the United States
Citation
Tandon, P.S., Kuehne, L.M., Olden, J.D., (2018). Trends and knowledge gaps in the study of nature-based participation by Latinos in the United States. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(6)
