University of Worcester Worcester Research and Publications
 
  USER PANEL:
  ABOUT THE COLLECTION:
  CONTACT DETAILS:

Growing Well-beings: the Positive Experience of Care Farms

Leck, Christopher, Upton, D. and Evans, Nick (2015) Growing Well-beings: the Positive Experience of Care Farms. British Journal of Health Psychology, 20 (4). pp. 745-762. ISSN Print: 1359-107X Online: 2044-8287

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

Objectives:
Care farms enable people who are in some way vulnerable to engage with agricultural places and farming activities. This study investigates how this impacts on the health and well-being of service users and explores associated processes and outcomes.
Design:
A mixed methods design was adopted that allowed for the integration of quantitative measurements of change with qualitative descriptions of this change. A pragmatic approach provided sufficient flexibility to support the investigation of complex contexts.
Methods:
A total of 216 service users completed an initial questionnaire, and 137 (63%) of this number provided comparative data in a follow-up questionnaire. Questionnaires contained multiple choice and open-ended questions alongside standardized health and well-being measures requiring Likert-format responses. Semi-structured interviews with 33 service users allowed personal experiences to be detailed.
Results:
Statistical analysis of well-being measure scores identified significant positive relationships with the length of time people had been attending the care farm. Questionnaire and interview data presented health benefits as being enabled by the farm environment, the positive experience as supporting personal development, and associated social interactions as becoming increasingly influential as time progressed.
Conclusions:
The health and well-being outcomes that result from participating at a care farm influence multiple elements of the human condition and apply amongst vulnerable people with a wide range of personal needs. Care farms have access to a potentially unique range of resources that can support many service users in becoming happier and healthier individuals.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information:

Staff and students at the University of Worcester can access the full-text via the UW online library search. External users should check availability with their local library or Interlibrary Requests Service.

Uncontrolled Discrete Keywords: care, farm, health, well-being, green, agriculture, social, inclusion
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Divisions: College of Business, Psychology and Sport > School of Psychology
College of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences > School of Science and the Environment
Related URLs:
Depositing User: Tanya Buchanan
Date Deposited: 20 Oct 2016 13:02
Last Modified: 17 Jun 2020 17:14
URI: https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5004

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
 
     
Worcester Research and Publications is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.