Abstract
Purpose: Access and quality of physical activity resources (PARs) influence physical activity (PA) participation. This study examined the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of PARs in two cities. Design: Researchers identified all PARs within an 800-meter radius of the homes of participants from a larger study. Each PAR was evaluated by a trained assessor. Setting: PARs were evaluated in Houston and Austin, Texas. Patients: The final sample included 1326 PARs in Houston and 297 in Austin, Texas. Measures: The 2010 Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA), a direct-observation audit tool, was used to assess the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of a PAR. Analysis: Both t-tests and analyses of variance were used to determine differences in features, amenities, and incivilities by city, type, and accessibility. Results: Houston PARs had greater amenities (t[421] = 4.445; p <.001) and fewer incivilities (t[371] = 26.89; p <.001) than Austin PARs. Combination resources had the highest score for features (M = 9.94; standard deviation [SD] = 5.62); fitness clubs had the highest score for amenities (M = 17.06; SD = 5.27); and trails had the most incivilities (M 5 4.23; SD = 4.88). Free PARs had greater features (F[3, 1509] = 16.87; p <.001), amenities (F[3, 1500] = 3.13; p =.025), and incivilities (F[3, 1540] = 21.97; p <.001) than pay for use PARs. Conclusion: Improvements to quality and maintenance of existing free PARs may be an economical strategy to increase PA.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 52-54 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | American Journal of Health Promotion |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2012 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Health(social science)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
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Evaluating the quality and accessibility of physical activity resources in two southern cities. / Adamus, Heather J.; Mama, Scherezade K.; Sahnoune, Iman; Lee, Rebecca E.
In: American Journal of Health Promotion, Vol. 27, No. 1, 01.09.2012, p. 52-54.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating the quality and accessibility of physical activity resources in two southern cities
AU - Adamus, Heather J.
AU - Mama, Scherezade K.
AU - Sahnoune, Iman
AU - Lee, Rebecca E.
PY - 2012/9/1
Y1 - 2012/9/1
N2 - Purpose: Access and quality of physical activity resources (PARs) influence physical activity (PA) participation. This study examined the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of PARs in two cities. Design: Researchers identified all PARs within an 800-meter radius of the homes of participants from a larger study. Each PAR was evaluated by a trained assessor. Setting: PARs were evaluated in Houston and Austin, Texas. Patients: The final sample included 1326 PARs in Houston and 297 in Austin, Texas. Measures: The 2010 Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA), a direct-observation audit tool, was used to assess the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of a PAR. Analysis: Both t-tests and analyses of variance were used to determine differences in features, amenities, and incivilities by city, type, and accessibility. Results: Houston PARs had greater amenities (t[421] = 4.445; p <.001) and fewer incivilities (t[371] = 26.89; p <.001) than Austin PARs. Combination resources had the highest score for features (M = 9.94; standard deviation [SD] = 5.62); fitness clubs had the highest score for amenities (M = 17.06; SD = 5.27); and trails had the most incivilities (M 5 4.23; SD = 4.88). Free PARs had greater features (F[3, 1509] = 16.87; p <.001), amenities (F[3, 1500] = 3.13; p =.025), and incivilities (F[3, 1540] = 21.97; p <.001) than pay for use PARs. Conclusion: Improvements to quality and maintenance of existing free PARs may be an economical strategy to increase PA.
AB - Purpose: Access and quality of physical activity resources (PARs) influence physical activity (PA) participation. This study examined the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of PARs in two cities. Design: Researchers identified all PARs within an 800-meter radius of the homes of participants from a larger study. Each PAR was evaluated by a trained assessor. Setting: PARs were evaluated in Houston and Austin, Texas. Patients: The final sample included 1326 PARs in Houston and 297 in Austin, Texas. Measures: The 2010 Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA), a direct-observation audit tool, was used to assess the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of a PAR. Analysis: Both t-tests and analyses of variance were used to determine differences in features, amenities, and incivilities by city, type, and accessibility. Results: Houston PARs had greater amenities (t[421] = 4.445; p <.001) and fewer incivilities (t[371] = 26.89; p <.001) than Austin PARs. Combination resources had the highest score for features (M = 9.94; standard deviation [SD] = 5.62); fitness clubs had the highest score for amenities (M = 17.06; SD = 5.27); and trails had the most incivilities (M 5 4.23; SD = 4.88). Free PARs had greater features (F[3, 1509] = 16.87; p <.001), amenities (F[3, 1500] = 3.13; p =.025), and incivilities (F[3, 1540] = 21.97; p <.001) than pay for use PARs. Conclusion: Improvements to quality and maintenance of existing free PARs may be an economical strategy to increase PA.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866505738&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84866505738&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4278/ajhp.110617-ARB-257
DO - 10.4278/ajhp.110617-ARB-257
M3 - Article
C2 - 22950926
AN - SCOPUS:84866505738
VL - 27
SP - 52
EP - 54
JO - American Journal of Health Promotion
JF - American Journal of Health Promotion
SN - 0890-1171
IS - 1
ER -