Community gardening programmes have been proposed as a means to improve mental health among elderly individuals in urban settings. In Cape Town, South Africa, these programmes are gaining traction as community initiatives aimed at reducing social isolation and increasing physical activity. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including pre-and post-programme surveys to measure changes in psychological distress and interviews to gather qualitative insights. Data were analysed using linear regression models to detect statistically significant effects. Pre-to-post intervention analysis revealed a = 0. 5 0. 2 standard deviation decrease in anxiety levels, indicating a moderate positive impact of community gardening on mental health among elderly participants (p < 0. 01). Community gardening programmes appear to have a modest but statistically significant effect in alleviating symptoms of anxiety among Cape Town's elderly population. Future research should explore the long-term effects and potential wider applicability of community gardening as a mental health intervention.
Nkosana Motsi (Sat,) studied this question.
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