Promoting Youth Physical Activity in Rural Southern Communities: Practitioner Perceptions of Environmental Opportunities and Barriers

被引:35
作者
Edwards, Michael B. [1 ]
Theriault, Daniel S. [1 ]
Shores, Kindal A. [2 ]
Melton, Karen M. [3 ]
机构
[1] N Carolina State Univ, Dept Pk Recreat & Tourism Management, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
[2] E Carolina Univ, Dept Recreat & Leisure Studies, Brody Sch Publ Hlth, Greenville, NC USA
[3] Texas A&M Univ, Dept Recreat Pk & Tourism Sci, College Stn, TX USA
关键词
health promotion; qualitative research; rural; social determinants of health; youth; HEALTH DISPARITIES; PERCEIVED BARRIERS; URBAN; PREVALENCE; BEHAVIORS; FITNESS;
D O I
10.1111/jrh.12072
中图分类号
R19 [保健组织与事业(卫生事业管理)];
学科分类号
摘要
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.
引用
收藏
页码:379 / 387
页数:9
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