Development and validation of a tool to assess the physical and social environment associated with physical activity among adults in Sri Lanka

Conceptualisation and Measurement of Social Cohesion within the Sport and Physical Activity Context: A Scoping Review

Sport, physical activity and social cohesion are increasingly linked within the academic literature. Indeed, studies recognise both the importance of social cohesion for promoting physical activity and the potential of sport to support social cohesion. Up until now, however, the ways in which social cohesion has been defined and measured in the context of sport and physical activity have not been the subject of much academic attention. Through a scoping review of studies measuring social cohesion in the sport and physical activity context, we aim to uncover how social cohesion is defined and measured, thus allowing us to better grasp how the concept is understood and operationalised in this field. As such, full-text inclusion occurred when studies quantitatively measured social cohesion through a questionnaire/survey instrument in connection with sport or physical activity participation or within programmes using sport to foster social cohesion. A total of 40 papers were included in the review, showing broad support for the argument that social cohesion is positively related to sport or physical activity participation. However, the retained texts engage on only a surface level with the concept of social cohesion, with around half not defining the term and the associated measurement tools using only a fraction of the dimensions typically associated with social cohesion. To conclude, we propose future directions to enhance conceptual engagement with and measurement of social cohesion.

Availability and affordability of alcohol and tobacco products for the population: results of a pilot study in the Sverdlovsk Oblast

Aim. To analyze the availability and affordability of alcohol and tobacco outlets using the specialized software developed by the National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine in the pilot subject of the Russian Federation — the Sverdlovsk Oblast.

Material and methods. For the first time, experts from the National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine conducted a pilot study to assess the actual state of the infrastructure of a separate subject of the Russian Federation (Sverdlovsk Oblast). The study objects were the urban infrastructure elements in which alcohol and tobacco products are sold. In order to assess the infrastructure, special software was developed using Open Street Maps to perform data collection tasks. The infrastructure data collection for the pilot study took place from January to March 2022.

Results. The total number of tobacco outlets is 299, most of which are located in supermarkets (82,6%, n=247). The share of individual tobacco outlets accounts for 13,7% (n=41). Out of 357 supermarkets, 247 (69%) have tobacco sales section. The average lowest price of a cigarette pack is 121,6±15,7 RUB (minimum — 30 RUB, maximum — 207 RUB). Twentyseven (10,9%) of 247 supermarkets located <100 m from educational institutions carry tobacco products. The minimum distance is 64 m. There are 449 alcohol outlets in total, most of them are located in supermarkets — 57,0% (n=256). Individual alcohol outlets account for 40,8% (n=183). Out of 357 supermarkets, 256 (71,7%) have alcohol sales section. Out of 158 individual alcohol outlets, vodka is available in 101 (63%) outlets, wine — in 112 (68,3%) out of 162 outlets, beer — in 112 (68,3%) out of 164 outlets, alcoholic cocktails — in 71 (45,2%) out of 57 outlets. The average lowest selling price of vodka is 255,9±62,2 RUB (minimum — 230 RUB), wine — 180,2±89,3 RUB (minimum — 110 rubles), beer — 51,2±15,5 RUB (minimum — 33 rubles), alcoholic cocktails — 58,9±15,4 RUB (minimum — 37 rubles). In addition, 27 (10,5%) of 256 supermarkets with a liquor section (minimum distance of 64m) are located <100 m from educational institutions, as well as 10 (5,4%) out of 183 individual stores specializing in the alcohol sale (minimum distance of 50 m).

Conclusion. The results obtained with the help of the developed tool can be used as arguments for strengthening monitoring of compliance and making changes to the current legislation that restricts the availability of tobacco and alcohol products. The use of the developed tool will make it possible using evidence to make informed decisions in the development and implementation of public health programs at the municipal level.

Perceived social and built environment associations of leisure-time physical activity among adults in Sri Lanka

OBJECTIVE

Although perceived neighbourhood environment is considered a predictor of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), evidence for this is limited in South Asia. Thus, the aim was to determine the association between neighbourhood social and built environment features in carrying out LTPA among adults in Colombo District, Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study among 1320 adults was carried out using validated questionnaires for physical activity (PA) and built environment data collection. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations between environment characteristics and LTPA after adjusting for gender, age, employment status, income level and sector of residence.

RESULTS

A total of 21.7% of adults participated in some LTPA. The commonest type of LTPA was walking; carried out by 14.5%. Moderate and vigorous activity at leisure was carried out by 10.3% and 3.9% respectively. Perceived social acceptance for PA was positively associated with LTPA. Out of the built environment characteristics perceived infrastructure for walking, and recreational facilities for PA were negatively associated with LTPA. Self-efficacy emerged as an important positive correlate of LTPA. The participants were positively influenced by the self-efficacy and perceived social environment which should be addressed when promoting LTPA.

A GIS based approach to neighbourhood physical environment and walking among adults in Colombo municipal council area, Sri Lanka

BACKGROUND

Physical Activity (PA) promotes health and wellbeing and walking is one of the easiest and commonest way to incorporate activity into everyday life. This study examined the association between the objectively measured neighbourhood physical environment and walking among the adults in Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area in Sri Lanka.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was carried out and primary data collection carried out to assess walking, socio-demographic characteristics and geo location of residence. Secondary data was obtained to assess neighbourhood environment from existing spatially referenced data from the survey department of Sri Lanka. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to calculate density measures (residential density, land use, connectivity and access) and distance measures, which were then correlated with walking.

RESULTS

A sample consisted of 284 adults aged 29-59 years with a mean age of 40.6 (SD,10.9) years. The total mean minutes walked a week was 175.8 min with a standard deviation of 214.0. The mean and the standard deviations of walking per week for transportation and leisure were 158.4 (SD,196.6) and 17.5 (SD,70.1) respectively. Residential density measures, building foot print area, length of major roads, number of intersections, number of bus stops, and distance to nearest major roads showed significant moderate degree of correlations with total minutes of walked per week, (p < 0.001). These results were similar with walking for transportation.

CONCLUSION

There is indication that neighbourhood features are associated with walking among the adults in the CMC area using secondary data on physical environment. This paves way for further exploration to understand the relationship between neighbourhood physical environment and walking which could be used for effective interventions to promote walking.

Development and validation of a tool to assess the rural neighborhood environment for obesity in Korean adults

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop and validate a tool that assesses the perceived neighborhood environments influencing obesity development among rural adults in Korea.

DESIGN AND SAMPLES

Qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Twenty-one adults participated in focus group interviews. Subsequently, two independent surveys were conducted with rural adults aged 19-65.

MEASUREMENTS

Literature review and focus group interviews were used to generate initial items. An expert's panel evaluation established content validity for these items and pilot testing of the draft tool was performed. Explanatory (n = 328) and confirmatory factor analyses (n = 1,070) were used to establish construct validity, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were calculated (n = 88).

RESULTS

The new tool consisting of 37 items was developed and validated. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed an eight-subscale structure (χ²  = 3,738.1, GFI = 0.831, SRMR = 0.060, RMSEA = 0.070). The tool showed moderate test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.519-0.775) and good internal consistency except for Social Influence on Healthy Eating (Cronbach's α = 0.612).

CONCLUSIONS

The Rural Neighborhood Environment Assessment for Obesity tool might be a valid and reliable instrument for public health practitioners to assess complex social and physical environmental factors related to obesity.

Psychometric Properties of the Modified Social Environment Questionnaire in Chinese Older Adults

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the 24-item Social Environment Questionnaire (SEQ-C). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the factor validity and measurement invariance (Purpose 1) of the SEQ-C in 453 older adults in Hong Kong. Convergent validity (Purpose 2) and test-retest reliability (Purpose 3) were also measured. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance supported the four-factor structure (representing companionship, encouragement, neighborhood social cohesion, and role models) of the SEQ-C, in a 15-item model that closely fitted the data. The SEQ-C was also found to have acceptable to satisfactory internal consistency, test-retest reliability, composite reliability, and moderate convergent validity in correlating perceived social support. This study showed that the SEQ-C is a suitable means of measuring the social environments of older adults in Hong Kong.

Active Mobility and Environment: A Pilot Qualitative Study for the Design of a New Questionnaire

It is generally accepted that active mobility, mainly walking and cycling, contributes to people's physical and mental health. One of the current challenges is to improve our understanding of this type of behaviour. This study aims to identify factors from the daily-life environment that may be related to active mobility behaviours, in order to design a new questionnaire for a quantitative study of a large adult population. The new questionnaire obtained through this pilot study combines information from interviews with existing questionnaires materials in order to introduce new factors while retaining the factors already assessed. This approach comprises three stages. The first was a content analysis (Reinert method) of interviews with a sample of participants about daily living activities as well as mobility. This stage led to a typology of factors suggested by interviews. The second was a scoping review of the literature in order to identify the active mobility questionnaires currently used in international literature. The last stage was a cross-tabulation of the factors resulting from the written interviews and the questionnaires. A table of the inter-relationships between the interview-based typology and the questionnaires shows discrepancies between factors considered by the existing questionnaires, and factors coming from individual interviews. Independent factors which were ignored in or absent from the questionnaires are the housing situation within the urban structure, overall consideration of the activity space beyond the limits of the residential neighbourhood, the perception of all the transportation modes, and the time scheduling impacting the modes actually used. Our new questionnaire integrates both the usual factors and the new factors that may be related to active mobility behaviours.