Rural town walkability: measuring the effect of the built environment

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究将确定在农村城镇步行的建筑环境相关性，并评估低社会经济地位（SES）和拉丁裔对这些关系的作用。农村居民、社会经济地位低的人和拉丁美洲人缺乏身体活动和肥胖的患病率明显较高。改变“建筑环境”，增加体育活动，特别是步行，有可能减少农村城镇居民的肥胖和慢性病流行率。具体来说，确定有利于步行的物理环境的[客观和感知]方面可能会刺激环境变化，促进更健康，积极的生活方式。通过研究来自三个不同地理区域，新英格兰，得克萨斯州和华盛顿州的农村城镇，具有不同的社会经济和种族特征，本研究将：[（1）测量小城镇居民步行的建筑环境相关性，使用客观和感知的建筑环境测量和自我报告的步行测量（2）评估社会经济地位对乡镇居民步行的建筑环境相关性的影响程度（家庭收入和教育程度）和拉丁裔;以及（3）使用加速计和全球定位系统测量来验证所建立的步行环境相关性。]通过利用我们的经验开发和验证城市和郊区的步行措施，我们能够很好地将我们的知识应用于尚未探索的农村城镇步行性问题，[专注于确定SES和拉丁裔种族在这些地点步行的建筑环境相关性中的作用]。这项工作将奠定基础，为未来的研究农村建成环境和健康行为之间的关系，并最终干预试验，以帮助农村城镇更好地构建建成环境，以促进其最高风险的居民之间的步行。 公共卫生相关性：了解“建筑环境”和步行的客观和感知措施之间的关系，有可能最终减少农村城镇居民之间的社会经济和民族健康差距。这项研究将提供所需的信息，以帮助农村城镇促进步行和增强健康，特别是在这些地区最脆弱的居民中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This research will identify built environmental correlates of walking in rural towns and evaluate the role of low socioeconomic status (SES) and Latino ethnicity on these relationships. The prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity is significantly higher among rural residents, [persons with low socioeconomic status (SES), and Latinos. Modification of the "built environment" to increase physical activity, and walking in particular, holds the potential to reduce the prevalence of obesity and chronic illness among residents of rural towns. Specifically, identifying [objective and perceived] aspects of the physical environment that facilitate walking may stimulate environmental change promoting healthier, active lifestyles. By studying rural towns from three distinct geographic regions, New England, Texas, and Washington State, with a varying range of socio-economic and ethnic characteristics, this study will: [(1) measure built environmental correlates of walking among small town residents, using objective and perceived measures of the built environment and self-reported measures of walking (total, recreational, and utilitarian purpose); (2) evaluate the degree to which built environmental correlates of walking among rural town residents are influenced by SES (household income and educational attainment) and Latino ethnicity; and (3) validate the built environmental correlates of walking using accelerometer and global positioning system measures.] By capitalizing on our experience developing and validating measures of walking for urban and suburban areas, we are well-positioned to apply our knowledge toward the, as yet unexplored, issue of rural town walkability, [concentrating on identifying the role of SES and Latino ethnicity on built environment correlates of walking in these locations]. This work will lay the foundation for future research on the relationship between the rural built environment and health behaviors and, ultimately, intervention trials to help rural towns better structure the built environment to promote walking among their highest risk residents. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Understanding relationships between objective and perceived measures of the "built environment" and walking holds the potential to ultimately reduce socioeconomic and ethnic health disparities among residents of rural towns. This study will supply needed information to help rural towns promote walking and enhance health, particularly among the most vulnerable residents of these locations.