View in Vital Signs- Healthy Human Population
- Outdoor Activity
- Indicator
- Nature-based work
- Vital Sign Indicator
- Percent (%)
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No targets are currently set for this indicator.
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Kelly Biedenweg
- Contributing Partners
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- Last Updated
- 8/8/2023 11:03:07 AM
Percentage of respondents in 2022 who answered 'Yes' (orange) and 'No' (blue) to the question: Does your work involve spending time in natural environments?
The Puget Sound is a region historically and currently known for natural resource-based industries. Engagement in such activities contributes not only to the economy, but also to a sense of cultural connection, mastery, and sense of place. Additionally, nature-based professions commonly involve more physical activity than other professions. Increasingly, these natural resource jobs are done by BIPOC residents. That said, several natural resource extraction industries are decreasing the number of jobs in the region. (see Economic Vitality Vital Sign and the employment in natural resource industries indicator)
- Nearly 14 percent of respondents said their work involved time outdoors.
- Of those, 50 percent worked more than 10 hours per week outdoors. See Interpretation of Results for more information.
- There were no significant differences in time spent working outdoors since 2018.
- Monitoring Program
- Data Source
Oregon State University Human Dimensions Lab
Data are collected every two years via paper survey and online response option to a random sample of Puget Sound households. The population is a clustered random sample of Puget Sound residents across 12 counties, with an initial sample of 9,000. Due to undeliverable addresses, the total sample reached was less than 9,000. In 2022, the response rate was 20.8 percent, with a total of 1,271 responses. In 2020, the response rate was 25 percent for a total of 1,843 respondents. In 2018, the first iteration of the survey, the response rate was 28 percent for a total of 2,323 individual responses.
The outdoor work indicator is based on two questions in the survey that ask respondents to first acknowledge if they do work that involves spending time in nature. If yes, they are led to a second question that asks them to identify the number of hours per week based on five categorical options (<5 to 30+).
For more information on the survey, see Appendix A. Detailed Methodology and Appendix B. 2022 Survey Instrument in the 2022 Summary Report.
- Critical Definitions
Outdoor work can have both positive and negative impacts on human health. Under the right environmental and social conditions, access to the outdoors can provide important interactions with clean air, water, sun, physical activity, and natural sounds. Under extreme weather conditions or high intensity work expectations, the same outdoor activities can create physical and mental strain.
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Despite the COVID pandemic during 2020-2021, we did not measure any differences across the general population between 2020 and 2022. We may have hypothesized changes in nature-based work due to the COVID pandemic – either motivating people to get outdoors more or negatively impacting employment levels. At a population scale, however, we did not see overall changes in the participation in outdoor work.
Harrington, K., B. Leach, Z. Antenucci, and K. Biedenweg. 2023. Human Wellbeing Vital Signs Survey 2022 Summary: A report on subjective human wellbeing indicators prepared for the Puget Sound Partnership.
Justiniano, I., C. Avendano, C. Lozano and K. Biedenweg. 2021. Vital Signs Latinx Survey. Report to Puget Sound Partnership.
Fleming, W., H. Kehoe-Thommen, B. Katz, J. Hart and K. Biedenweg. 2021. Vital Signs Survey Summary 2020: A report on subjective human wellbeing. Report to the Puget Sound Partnership.
Fleming, W. and K. Biedenweg. 2019. Visualizing Human Wellbeing in the Puget Sound (Vital Signs Survey Summary 2018). Report to the Puget Sound Partnership.
Human Wellbeing Vital Signs Interactive Web-interface (2018, 2020)
The Puget Sound Partnership believes in the transparency and accessibility of the data used to address puget sound indicators. These data are provided by contributing partners to the Partnership and are made publicly available through the Puget Sound Info site. These data are available on an "as is" basis and the Partnership is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. Please acknowledge the monitoring program and data source when using these data and obtain permission from the Vital Sign Indicator Reporter to use these data in a publication.
- Human Wellbeing Survey Results (all years)
- Uploaded On
- 8/11/2023
- File Type
- Excel (XLSX)
- Description
- Survey results are provided for the subjective Human Wellbeing Vital Sign Indicators. Data were collected via survey to the general population of the Puget Sound Region in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Please acknowledge the Oregon State University Human Dimensions Lab and Puget Sound Partnership when using these data.
- Reporting Instructions
No Subcategories for this Puget Sound Indicator.