Community Setting Use for Physical Activity in Texas Rural Adults

Abstract

Despite the existing evidence to support physical activity promotion, there has been minimal improvement in the overall trends of meeting the recommended guidelines on a population level. Physical activity adoption in rural communities remains low and disparities exist with respect to availability and accessibility of community settings that provide opportunities for physical activity engagement. While it is necessary to have supportive environments to use for physical activity, the simple provision of these areas is not sufficient to change behavior. This underscores the need to understand the unique factors that limit community setting use for physical activity. Also, it is important to learn how to leverage existing unused or underutilized resources. This exploratory study was guided by a conceptual model and ecological framework. Using qualitative methodology, the factors that contribute to the use and re-use of community settings for physical activity were investigated. Six focus groups (3-9 participants each) were conducted with rural adults in various regions across Texas. Using convenience sampling techniques, N = 33 participants were recruited. The data was transcribed, analyzed, and coded. Themes were then identified using a systematic approach. This study had two main research questions: 1. What are the factors of community setting use for physical activity in Texas rural adults? 2. What are the factors of community setting re-use for physical activity in Texas rural adults? Participants self-reported primarily as female, non-Hispanic, White, and older with higher education and income. Generally, these participants were physically active, but did not use community settings for their physical activity. Neighborhoods and outdoor areas were the most utilized settings, while church facilities and school grounds were the least utilized. The perceptions of the study participants were examined across three components of the conceptual model: community, setting, and user. In total, 24 themes emerged, which included pleasant experiences, competition for use at the community setting, restrooms, nature and shade, and convenience. Together, these identified themes, along with existing knowledge about physical activity, will inform the development of future research and educational efforts to promote the purposeful use and re-use of community settings for physical activity in rural adults.