‘It’s not therapy, it’s gardening’: community gardens as sites of comprehensive primary healthcare
Pauline Marsh A B , Sebrina Brennan A and Miriam Vandenberg A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 103, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: pauline.marsh@utas.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 24(4) 337-342 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY17149
Submitted: 18 October 2017 Accepted: 1 March 2018 Published: 28 May 2018
Abstract
Using a participatory research framework, researchers at the Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, explored the potential of Community Gardens to function as comprehensive primary healthcare (CPHC) environments. Community gardeners, coordinators, volunteers and Neighbourhood House coordinators discussed their understandings of the health benefits of community gardens, how they contribute to broad CPHC aims and the barriers and enablers to greater CPHC contributions in the future. This research identifies therapeutic features of Community Gardens and explores the correlations between these and CPHC. It is concluded that there are strong synergies between the aims and activities of Community Gardens and CPHC. To augment the therapeutic capacity of these sites requires adequate resourcing and skill development, suitable design, funding and policy support, along with innovative partnerships with health professionals.
Additional keywords: community healthcare, comprehensive healthcare, primary healthcare, social support.
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