Development of a Standard Evaluation Framework for Measuring the Impact of Outdoor Interventions on Health

Descriptions

Major health (WHO, 2022; PHE, 2020) and natural environment (Defra, 2023) strategies now recognise the importance of outdoor environments and engaging people with their local green and blue spaces, for physical and mental health and well-being. Despite recognition of the associations, understanding the impact of investing in outdoor interventions for improving health and well-being could be better supported through developing the evidence base. At present, evidence is limited by the variability in how the outcomes of interventions are assessed, particularly in relation to health and disparities outcomes. As a result, there is limited clear evidence on what interventions work to improve health and reduce disparities, in which populations and in which circumstances. To address this, the 2023 'Environment Improvement Plan' commits to 'develop a Standard Evaluation Framework for examining the health impacts of outdoor interventions, so we can consistently measure the public health impacts from our work to increase access to the outdoors'. Natural England is leading a cross-government working group to deliver this Standard Evaluation Framework, alongside the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (Department of Health and Social Care), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Sport England and Active Travel England, as well as a wider stakeholder steering group. The Project Aims are to develop the first Standard Evaluation Framework (SEF) to encourage more consistent measurement of health and well-being, and disparities outcomes for those evaluating outdoor interventions.