An Examination of Triple Jeopardy in Rural Youth Physical Activity Participation

Physical Activity Space Methodology for Assessment and Prioritization (PASMAP): Combining systematic observations with community perceptions to identify community physical activity resource priorities

Despite benefits of physical activity (PA), most Americans are not regularly active, with notable disparities for residents of low-income communities. PA is positively correlated with resource availability and quality, which can be measured and quantified by PA resource assessment tools. However, community members' perceptions are often not considered. This study incorporates community perceptions with systematic environmental observations to identify community PA resource priorities. The PA Space Methodology for Assessment and Prioritization (PASMAP) includes three phases. Phase 1: Promotora-researchers completed 57 PA Resource Assessments (PARAs) in colonias along the Texas-Mexico border assessing quantity and quality of features, amenities, and incivilities. Characteristics were ranked using average PARA scores from all PA spaces. Phase 2: community advisory board (CAB) members (n = 36 from 3 CABs) ranked the importance of each feature, amenity, and incivility respectively; rankings were averaged and ordered. Phase 3: differences between phases 1 and 2 were calculated. Large differences indicated high discordance between systematic observations and perceived importance. Phase 1: highest ranked PARA characteristics were sidewalks, non-street lighting, and noise. Phase 2: CAB members ranked trails/paths, sidewalks, play equipment, bathrooms, drinking fountains, substance abuse evidence, and litter most important. Phase 3: multiple characteristics had high discordance: trails/paths, fenced-in open fields (features), drinking fountains (amenity), and litter (incivility); low quantity/poor quality yet perceived as highly important. Discordant characteristics identified through PASMAP provide evidence-based, community-valued recommendations on PA resource priorities for planning and advocacy. Future work should incorporate perceptions from additional community members and apply PASMAP methods to other environmental assessments.

Physical Activity in Peri-Urban Communities: Testing Intentional and Implicit Processes within an Ecological Framework

BACKGROUND

Given the substantive health inequalities in peri-urban communities and the potential for physical activity to promote health in these communities, identifying modifiable physical activity determinants in this population is important. This study explored effects of the peri-urban environment and psychological constructs on physical activity intentions and behavioural automaticity guided by an integrated theoretical framework.

METHODS

Peri-urban Australians (N = 271) completed self-report measures of environmental (i.e. physical/social environment, and neighbourhood selection), motivational (i.e. autonomous motivation), and social cognition (i.e. attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioural control [PBC]) constructs, past behaviour, intentions, and automaticity.

RESULTS

A well-fitting path analytic model revealed that: autonomous motivation predicted all social cognition constructs; subjective norms and PBC, but not attitudes; autonomous motivation predicted intentions and automaticity; and subjective norms and PBC mediated effects of autonomous motivation on intentions. Of the environmental constructs, only neighbourhood selection was related to intentions, mediated by PBC.

CONCLUSIONS

Autonomous motivation is an important correlate of physical activity intentions and automaticity, and subjective norms and PBC also related to intentions. Individuals perceiving a supportive environment were more likely to report positive PBC and intentions. Targeting change in autonomous motivation, and normative and control beliefs may help enhance physical activity intentions and automaticity in peri-urban communities.

Examining Key Stakeholder and Community Residents' Understanding of Environmental Influences to Inform Place-Based Interventions to Reduce Obesity in Rural Communities, Kentucky 2015

PURPOSE

Rural residents report high rates of obesity, physical inactivity, and poor eating habits. The objectives of this study were to (1) use the collective impact model to guide efforts to elicit community members' perceptions of county-specific factors influencing high obesity rates; (2) determine the association between utilization of food retail venues and concern about obesity and healthy eating; and (3) determine community members' utilization of physical activity infrastructure and concern about physical inactivity.

METHODS

The study was conducted in 6 rural counties in Kentucky with adult obesity prevalence rates >40%. Community stakeholders met to assess counties' needs and assets in implementing interventions to reduce obesity in their communities. A random-digit dial survey (n = 756) also was conducted to examine awareness and availability of community resources for healthy eating and physical activity.

FINDINGS

Stakeholders identified lack of access to fruits and vegetables and poor physical activity infrastructure as contributors to obesity. Reporting moderate and serious concern about obesity and healthy eating was associated with higher odds of shopping at a supercenter compared with those expressing little concern. Reported access to information about physical activity opportunities was associated with higher odds of reporting the availability of safe places for physical activity, sidewalks, and trails compared with those who reported that information was difficult to obtain.

CONCLUSIONS

This study elicits community-identified barriers to healthy behaviors and provides foundational data to inform future place-based obesity reduction interventions.

Residential Environment for Outdoor Play Among Children in Latino Farmworker Families

Child health and development benefit from physical activity. This analysis describes the residential play environment for children aged 2-4 years in farmworker families, their parent-reported levels of play and media time, and the association of residential environment with play and media time. Mothers with a child aged 2-4 years in farmworker families (n = 248) completed interviews over 2 years. Outcome measures were daily outdoor play time and media time. Measures of the residential environment included physical and social components. The mean min/day for outdoor play was 81.8 (SD 57.3) at baseline, 111.4 (SD 90.1) at year 1 follow-up, and 103.6 (SD 76.2) at year 2 follow-up. The mean media min/day at baseline was 83.8 (SD 64.3), 93.7 (SD 80.3) min/day at year 1 follow-up, and 59.9 min/day (SD (45.6) at year 2 follow-up. One additional person per bedroom was associated with 6 fewer min/day with media. The addition of each age appropriate toy was associated with an additional 12.3 min/day of outdoor play. An additional type of inappropriate media was associated with 6.8 more min/day with media. These results suggest changes to the residential environment to improve physical activity among children in Latino farmworker families.

Results of a 3-year, nutrition and physical activity intervention for children in rural, low-socioeconomic status elementary schools

Improving children's nutrition and physical activity have become priorities in the United States. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the longitudinal effects of a 3-year, school-based, health promotion intervention (i.e. nutrition and physical education, classroom physical activity, professional development and health promotion for teachers and families, and strengthening wellness policies and family/community partnerships) on children's health behaviors in four, rural, low-socioeconomic status elementary schools. A total of 999 kindergarten to third-grade children participated in data collection consisting of 4-day pedometer tracking and previous-day fruits and vegetables consumption recall from baseline in January, 2011 through 12 follow-up assessments ending May, 2013. The mixed-effects regression models showed that children's nutrition and physical activity behaviors significantly improved over the 3-year intervention. The percentages of children who met the nutrition recommendation increased from 11 to 23% for girls and 12 to 23% for boys, while the percent who met the physical activity recommendation increased from 1 to 16% for girls and 3 to 7% for boys. Further, children's age and their school impacted certain intervention effects. This school-based intervention could be disseminated to promote healthy behaviors among rural disadvantaged children. Engaging parents and community partnerships is recommended to expand the traditional, children-focused education interventions.

Promoting youth physical activity in rural southern communities: practitioner perceptions of environmental opportunities and barriers

PURPOSE

Research on youth physical activity has focused on urban areas. Rural adolescents are more likely to be physically inactive than urban youth, contributing to higher risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Study objectives were to: (1) identify perceived opportunities and barriers to youth physical activity within a rural area and (2) identify rural community characteristics that facilitate or inhibit efforts to promote youth physical activity.

METHODS

Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with expert informants in 2 rural southern US counties. Interviewees were recruited from diverse positions across multiple sectors based on their expert knowledge of community policies and programs for youth physical activity.

FINDINGS

Informants saw ball fields, natural amenities, and school sports as primary resources for youth physical activity, but they were divided on whether opportunities were abundant or scarce. Physical distance, social isolation, lack of community offerings, and transportation were identified as key barriers. Local social networks facilitated political action and volunteer recruitment to support programs. However, communities often lacked human capital to sustain initiatives. Racial divisions influenced perceptions of opportunities. Despite divisions, there were also examples of pooling resources to create and sustain physical activity opportunities.

CONCLUSIONS

Developing partnerships and leveraging local resources may be essential to overcoming barriers for physical activity promotion in rural areas. Involvement of church leaders, school officials, health care workers, and cooperative extension is likely needed to establish and sustain youth rural physical activity programs. Allocating resources to existing community personnel and volunteers for continuing education may be valuable.