title: Mental health rehabilitation in a care farm context: A descriptive review of Norwegian intervention studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  C are farming is a service developed at farms for promoting mental and physical health and is increasingly used in mental health rehabilitation in Norway.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article aims to present a descriptive review of Norwegian intervention research on care farms that provide rehabilitation for people with mental health disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  This literature review applied a non-systematic search strategy: all articles in the field known to the authors were selected for inclusion. The selected studies were intervention studies that were conducted on farms in Norway, that used adult participants with mental health problems/disorders, and that reported outcome measures related to mental health. The studies and articles presented quantitative and/or qualitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings from the published articles report improvements to mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, perceived stress, positive affect, rumination, and self-efficacy. Qualitative data describe a variety of positive experiences, such as improved coping ability, increased social support, and appreciation of the care farm activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participating in interventions on care farms positively influences mental health. Care farming may therefore be used as a supplementary approach in mental health rehabilitation, as it offers meaningful and engaging occupations and social inclusion.
authors.affiliation: Section for Public Health Science, Department of Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Section for Public Health Science, Department of Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Grete
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berget
authors.affiliation: Section for Public Health Science, Department of Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ihlebæk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing and Health, Diakonhjemmet University College, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Marianne Thorsen
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000072480:Farms; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D058611:Horticultural Therapy; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009664:Norway; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Animal-assisted interventions; care farming; meaningful occupations; therapeutic horticulture