Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of Veterans in the urban and nature hiking groups
| Characteristic | Total (n=26) | Nature (n=13) | Urban (n=13) | |||
| N or mean | % or SD | N or mean | % or SD | N or mean | % or SD | |
| Age (years) | ||||||
| <30 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| 30–39 | 5 | 19 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 23 |
| 40–49 | 6 | 23 | 4 | 31 | 2 | 15 |
| 50–59 | 11 | 42 | 6 | 46 | 5 | 38 |
| >60 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Male | 19 | 73 | 8 | 62 | 11 | 85 |
| Female | 7 | 27 | 5 | 38 | 2 | 15 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||
| Asian/Pacific Islander, NH | 3 | 12 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 8 |
| Black, NH | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Hispanic | 3 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 15 |
| Native American, NH | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Other | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7.7 |
| White, NH | 15 | 58 | 10 | 77 | 5 | 38 |
| Marital status | ||||||
| Single, never married | 4 | 15 | 3 | 23 | 1 | 8 |
| Married currently | 14 | 54 | 7 | 54 | 7 | 54 |
| Separated/divorced | 8 | 31 | 3 | 23 | 5 | 38 |
| Education | ||||||
| High school degree or equivalent | 4 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 23 |
| Some college, no degree | 10 | 38 | 7 | 54 | 3 | 23 |
| Associate degree | 4 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 23 |
| Bachelor’s degree | 4 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 15 |
| Masters, doctorate or professional degree | 4 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 15 |
| Annual household income | ||||||
| US$25 000–US$49 999 | 7 | 27 | 4 | 31 | 3 | 23 |
| US$50 000–US$74 999 | 11 | 42 | 4 | 31 | 7 | 54 |
| US$75 000–US$99 999 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| US$100 000 or more | 4 | 15 | 3 | 23 | 1 | 8 |
| Prefer not to answer | 2 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Employment status | ||||||
| Full time | 12 | 46 | 6 | 46 | 6 | 46 |
| Part time | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Not employed (disabled, retired, not looking for work, homemaker, other) | 13 | 50 | 6 | 46 | 7 | 54 |
| Highest military rank | ||||||
| Enlisted (E1–E4) | 9 | 35 | 4 | 31 | 5 | 38 |
| Non-commissioned officer (E5–E9) | 15 | 58 | 8 | 62 | 7 | 54 |
| Officer (O1–O4) | 2 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| VA disability rating*†* | ||||||
| No rating | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| 30%–60% | 2 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 70%–90% | 8 | 31 | 4 | 31 | 4 | 31 |
| 100% | 12 | 46 | 6 | 46 | 6 | 46 |
| Self-reported health | ||||||
| Excellent/very good | 9 | 35 | 3 | 23 | 6 | 45 |
| Good | 11 | 42 | 7 | 54 | 4 | 31 |
| Fair (no one reported poor) | 6 | 23 | 3 | 23 | 3 | 23 |
| PCL-5 score‡ | ||||||
| Mean, SD | 47.1 | 10.9 | 46.0 | 11.4 | 48.2 | 10.8 |
| Served in combat (yes) | 17 | 65 | 8 | 62 | 9 | 69 |
| Combat Exposure Score; mean (SD)*†* | 16.6 | 7.9 | 15.6 | 8.2 | 17.7 | 7.9 |
| Patient Health Questionnaire-8 score** | ||||||
| <10 (no depression) | 8 | 32 | 4 | 33 | 4 | 31 |
| 10–19 (major depression) | 14 | 56 | 7 | 58 | 7 | 54 |
| >20 (severe major depression) | 3 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 15 |
| Physical activity level | ||||||
| Low | 8 | 31 | 5 | 38 | 3 | 23 |
| Moderate | 3 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 15 |
| High | 15 | 58 | 7 | 54 | 8 | 62 |
| Times gone hiking for 1+ hours in last year | ||||||
| Never | 5 | 19 | 3 | 23 | 2 | 15 |
| 1–3 | 9 | 35 | 4 | 31 | 5 | 38 |
| 4–6 | 5 | 19 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 23 |
| 7+ | 7 | 27 | 4 | 31 | 3 | 23 |
| Outdoor/nature-based activity experience | ||||||
| None (no experience in the outdoors) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Casual (done some day hiking on maintained trails and car camping) | 10 | 38 | 5 | 38 | 5 | 38 |
| Amateur (have experience with backpacking) | 11 | 42 | 6 | 46 | 5 | 38 |
| Expert (substantial backcountry experience) | 5 | 19 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 23 |
*Missing response for one nature participant.
†Missing response for one urban participant.
‡One person in the nature hiking group had a PCL-5 of 32 (below the eligibility threshold of 33) due to an undetected error in initial scoring.
NH, non-Hispanic; PCL-5, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5.;