The arts for disease prevention and health promotion: a systematic review

Jill Sonke; Michael Koon Boon Tan; Jennifer Baxley Lee; Virginia Pesata; Seher Akram; Tasha Golden; Jane Morgan-Daniel; Sanmi Oduntan; Sharifa Abdulla; Daisy Fancourt; Michael Pratt; J. Jaime Miranda; Courtney Pyche; Kremlin Wickramasinghe; Nils Fietje; Nisha Sajnani

doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03962-7

The arts for disease prevention and health promotion: a systematic review

Jill Sonke
, Michael Koon Boon Tan
, Jennifer Baxley Lee
, Virginia Pesata
, Seher Akram
, Tasha Golden
, Jane Morgan-Daniel
, Sanmi Oduntan
, Sharifa Abdulla
, Daisy Fancourt
, Michael Pratt
, J. Jaime Miranda
, Courtney Pyche
, Kremlin Wickramasinghe
, Nils Fietje
, Nisha Sajnani

University of Florida
University of the Arts Singapore
College of Medicine, University of Lagos
University of Glasgow
University College London
University of California la Jolla
University of Sydney
World Health Organization
New York University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Differences in risk factor exposure and access to prevention resources have led to unequal health outcomes for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) globally. Recent studies elucidate the health benefits of arts participation, but no systematic reviews have focused on NCD prevention and health promotion. Here we share results of a mixed-methods systematic review that included 95 studies of arts programs, practices and activities, addressing NCD risk factors across 27 countries. We found that most reported outcomes were related to physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, mental health, and systemic, structural and social drivers of health. Our findings suggest that the arts may support NCDs prevention and health promotion by generating cultural relevance, providing opportunities for increased physical activity and social connectedness and by helping to identify and address systemic, structural and social forces contributing to health disparities and inequities.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3907-3916
Number of pages	10
Journal	Nature Medicine
Volume	31
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03962-7
State	Published - Nov 2025
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

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10.1038/s41591-025-03962-7

Cite this

Sonke, J., Tan, M. K. B., Lee, J. B., Pesata, V., Akram, S., Golden, T., Morgan-Daniel, J., Oduntan, S., Abdulla, S., Fancourt, D., Pratt, M., Miranda, J. J., Pyche, C., Wickramasinghe, K., Fietje, N., & Sajnani, N. (2025). The arts for disease prevention and health promotion: a systematic review. Nature Medicine, 31(11), 3907-3916. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03962-7

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abstract = "Differences in risk factor exposure and access to prevention resources have led to unequal health outcomes for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) globally. Recent studies elucidate the health benefits of arts participation, but no systematic reviews have focused on NCD prevention and health promotion. Here we share results of a mixed-methods systematic review that included 95 studies of arts programs, practices and activities, addressing NCD risk factors across 27 countries. We found that most reported outcomes were related to physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, mental health, and systemic, structural and social drivers of health. Our findings suggest that the arts may support NCDs prevention and health promotion by generating cultural relevance, providing opportunities for increased physical activity and social connectedness and by helping to identify and address systemic, structural and social forces contributing to health disparities and inequities.",

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AU - Pesata, Virginia

AU - Akram, Seher

AU - Golden, Tasha

AU - Morgan-Daniel, Jane

AU - Oduntan, Sanmi

AU - Abdulla, Sharifa

AU - Fancourt, Daisy

AU - Pratt, Michael

AU - Miranda, J. Jaime

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AB - Differences in risk factor exposure and access to prevention resources have led to unequal health outcomes for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) globally. Recent studies elucidate the health benefits of arts participation, but no systematic reviews have focused on NCD prevention and health promotion. Here we share results of a mixed-methods systematic review that included 95 studies of arts programs, practices and activities, addressing NCD risk factors across 27 countries. We found that most reported outcomes were related to physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, mental health, and systemic, structural and social drivers of health. Our findings suggest that the arts may support NCDs prevention and health promotion by generating cultural relevance, providing opportunities for increased physical activity and social connectedness and by helping to identify and address systemic, structural and social forces contributing to health disparities and inequities.

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VL - 31

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JO - Nature Medicine

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The arts for disease prevention and health promotion: a systematic review

Abstract

UN SDGs

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