Biodiversity Interventions for Well-Being - Research in Assisted Living Centers
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Active, not recruiting
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 36
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Skin Gammaproteobacteria
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Biodiversity is essential for nature and human well-being. Land use has reduced biodiversity in cities, which weakens the functionality of the urban ecosystems and the well-being of citizens. This may also increase the risk of immune-mediated disorders among urban dwellers.
In Biodiversity interventions for assisted living centers (BIWE 2), microbial biodiversity interventions are performed to increase biodiversity in urban housing units for people with autism spectrum disorder, disabled people and elderly. Results from the intervention trials are combined with publicly available land cover and ecological data. These are analyzed from the viewpoint of shifts in ecosystems and human well-being and immune regulation, ecological quality, and urban planning.
The investigators set up an intervention study in which yards of the housing units are rewilded with diverse vegetation and decaying deadwood and plant residuals. The investigators aim to evaluate the effect of rewilding, and yard management practices on commensal microbiome, cortisol levels and well-being and salivary cytokine levels, and gene pathways.
Detailed Description
Our specific aims are:
To assess if rewilding diversifies health-associated skin microbiota and is associated with salivary cytokine levels, gene pathways, cortisol levels and commensal microbiota.
Assess whether there are patterns in the microbiome associated with the salivary cytokine levels and hair cortisol levels.
Assess whether rewilding affects health and psychological measures. The investigators will recruit approximately 36 study subjects living in assisted housing units in urban areas and aged between 18-82.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 82 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Person lives in assisted living center
Exclusion Criteria
- •Immunosuppressive medications
- •Immune deficiencies
- •a disease affecting immune response (colitis ulcerosa, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, diabetes)
- •cancer diagnosis within the last year or on-going cancer treatment
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Skin Gammaproteobacteria
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year
Change in skin gammaproteobacterial diversity
Secondary Outcomes
- Saliva gene pathways(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Salivary cytokines(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Saliva microbiota(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Cortisol levels(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Perceived Stress Scale(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Nature Relatedness Scale(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Skin bacteria(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Depression Scale(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Changes in nature contacts(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)
- Infectious diseases(Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year, 4 year, 5 year)