South Asians in England face heightened physical and mental health challenges. The
group faces constraints in accessing traditional health settings, such as mental health
services and gyms, narrowing the pathways to achieving good health. Through three
diverse and methodologically rigorous studies, this thesis provides fresh insights into
how natural green spaces (NGS) can enhance South Asians' psychological wellbeing
(PWB), recognised for their health-promoting properties.
The first study was a systematic literature review which followed PRISMA
guidelines to assess existing research on South Asians’ access to NGS and their
PWB. Findings from 26 peer-reviewed papers revealed that NGS is important for PWB
among South Asians in multiple ways and highlighted compounding geographical,
social, personal, transport, and knowledge barriers to obtaining these benefits.
Heightened challenges existed for people situated at the intersection of gender,
religiosity and race, especially when accessing rural green spaces (RGS).
To further develop the literature on this topic, a second study was conducted,
exploring the experiences of 23 South Asian Muslim women with RGS through in-
depth semi-structured and walking interviews. A recursive thematic analysis
highlighted that RGS were important for women to engage in physical activity and
mindful practices, in ways that could not be achieved in urban settings such as gyms.
The findings were discussed in relation to intersectionality, which highlighted that the
PWB benefits often associated with nature can be hindered through race, ethnicity
and gender.
Building on this, a third study was conducted with 600 South Asian Muslim
women across England to assess the relationships among perceived access to RGS,
engagement rate, and PWB. Through validated measures, structural equation
modelling analysis revealed perceptions of access to RGS as crucial for South Asian
Muslim women’s PWB. Moderation analysis affirmed that identity visibility increases
the importance of perceived access, while physical activity reduces it.
Overall, this thesis presents a trajectory of research through three distinct and
credible methodologies. It highlights the importance of focusing specifically on
marginalised groups, challenging existing nature and wellbeing frameworks that
currently cater for White and privileged groups. Policy and practice should work to
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diversify RGS users and usages, so that diverse groups feel comfortable engaging
with them in various ways. Lastly, existing interventions must aim to enhance the
groups’ perceptions of access and recognise RGS as a potential avenue to combat
South Asian Muslim women’s health challenges.
