During Katrina's NIHR Three Schools Prevention Programme Post-Doctoral Fellowship, she is leading the Growing with Nature Project. This project is exploring the potential for nature-based groups (i.e., activities that take place outdoors in natural settings such as parks, woodlands, or gardens with a group of people) to support mental health and wellbeing during pregnancy. This project has three parts:

Part one aims to find out what nature-based groups are currently available across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, and whether they can be adapted for pregnant women and birthing people. To do this, Katrina will ask organisations or practitioners that provide either nature-based groups or health and wellbeing support during pregnancy to complete an online survey.

Part two aims to find out what pregnant women and birthing people think about nature-based groups and how they could be tailored to their needs. To do this, Katrina will have one-to-one and group discussions with a diverse range of pregnant women and birthing people.

Part three aims to better understand the challenges and opportunities of implementing a pregnancy-specific nature-based group. To do this, Katrina will have one-to-one and group discussions with people who provide nature-based groups, midwives, social prescribers, and commissioners.

The findings will help identify which types of nature-based groups may be most suitable during pregnancy, how they could be adapted, and whether links between maternity services and nature-based groups could be developed. The findings will also inform plans for a future research project to evaluate a pregnancy-specific nature-based group.

Alongside the research project, Katrina will undertake further training in public health intervention science, develop her professional network, and undertake a placement with the Healthy Children and Families team at Bristol City Council.

Contact: katrina.dapice@bristol.ac.uk

Find out more about Katrina and her work on the NIHR Three Schools website.