Gardening studies explore health and belonging among people with refugee backgrounds
A mixed-methods review identified themes of wellbeing and social inclusion around horticultural activities, but its abstract does not quantify benefits or establish that gardening caused them.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review brought together varied research on horticultural activities among refugees. It identified potential links with wellbeing and social inclusion, including social connections, shared identity and intercultural exchange. The abstract presents a broad synthesis of findings, without numerical effect estimates or enough design detail to conclude that gardening itself produced improvements in health.
The abstract does not report comparison groups, follow-up lengths, study-specific results or an assessment of study quality. It therefore cannot show the magnitude, consistency or durability of any health benefit.
More than a health measure
The synthesis covered mental, physical, emotional and other aspects of wellbeing alongside social inclusion. These are varied outcomes and experiences, so the abstract should not be read as demonstrating a single, uniform effect on refugee health.
Different evidence brought together
Researchers combined qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods findings using a shared framework. That approach can organize experiences and measured outcomes into themes, but this abstract gives too little detail to separate participants' accounts from comparative health results.
The original publication
Promoting health and inclusion of people with refugee backgrounds through horticulture: A mixed-methods systematic review.
O'Connor LE, Jay S
Soc Sci Med · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41187458
- Record checked
AI-assisted research and writing. This explains one selected publication; it is not a complete review of everything known. Our approach.
One more question, understood.
Keep track of the research you’ve explored.