IMPACT OF GREEN CARE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND LIVELIHOOD OUTCOMES: EVIDENCE FROM AN INTER-STATE QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN RURAL INDIA
Venu B.N1, Chittimothu Suresh Babu2*, Navya A.G3, Sindhuja L.4
1,2Bharatiya Engineering Science & Technology Innovation University, Gownivaripalli, Gorantla, Sri Sathya Sai , Andhra Pradesh – 515 231, India
3Associate professor, Department of Psychiatry, Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Andhra Pradesh, India
4Senior resident, Department of Psychiatry, Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Andhra Pradesh, India
Abstract: Mental health disorders amplified by work-related stress, economic insecurity, and social isolation have become a defining public health concern in rural India, especially within agrarian economies that depend heavily on seasonal employment and weather-driven livelihoods. In this evolving landscape, Green Care – a therapeutic paradigm that integrates structured engagement with agriculture, horticulture, and animal husbandry – offers a compelling dual-pathway strategy for simultaneously advancing mental health outcomes and reinforcing sustainable livelihoods. This study rigorously examines the measurable impact of context-sensitive Green Care interventions implemented across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh using primary data gathered from 270 rural respondents through a carefully designed quasi-experimental framework. The analytical architecture comprises before–after comparative assessment, descriptive statistics, and multivariate regression techniques, enabling a nuanced evaluation of shifts in both psychological and economic dimensions. The empirical results are remarkable: stress levels declined by 47.8%, anxiety by 49.7%, and depression by 52.0%, while social interaction surged by 108.6% and the happiness index improved by 81.0%. On the livelihood front, total household income more than doubled (+113%) and productive employment days increased by 92%. Econometric findings confirm that Green Care participation, household income, and social engagement are all statistically significant negative predictors of mental distress, whereas state-level differences remain non-significant – a finding that strongly reinforces the cross-regional robustness of the intervention. The Composite Green Care Index (GCI), computed at 0.71, corroborates strong overall programme effectiveness. In conclusion, this study establishes Green Care as a scalable, cost-effective, gender-inclusive, and institutionally adaptable model with transformative potential for simultaneously addressing the twin crises of mental health and livelihood insecurity in rural India.
Keywords: Green Care; Mental Health; Rural Livelihoods; Work-Related Stress; Quasi Experimental Design
VOLUME 10 ISSUE 04 2026: 262 – 293