Rural town walkability: measuring the effect of the built environment

描述(由申请人提供)：这项研究将确定在农村城镇步行的已建立的环境相关性，并评估低社会经济地位(SES)和拉丁裔种族在这些关系中的作用。在农村居民、[社会经济地位低的人]和拉美裔人中，缺乏运动和肥胖的患病率要高得多。改善“建筑环境”以增加体力活动，特别是步行，有可能降低农村城镇居民中肥胖和慢性病的患病率。具体地说，识别有利于步行的物理环境的[客观和可感知的]方面可能会刺激环境变化，促进更健康、更积极的生活方式。通过研究来自三个不同地理区域的农村城镇，这些地区具有不同的社会经济和种族特征，本研究将：[1)使用客观和可感知的建成环境测量以及自我报告的步行测量(总体、娱乐和功利目的)来衡量小城镇居民中步行的既定环境相关性；(2)评估农村城镇居民中步行的既定环境相关性受SES(家庭收入和教育程度)和拉丁裔种族的影响程度；以及(3)使用加速计和全球定位系统措施验证步行的既定环境相关性。通过利用我们开发和验证城市和郊区步行措施的经验，我们处于有利地位，可以将我们的知识应用于尚未探索的农村城镇步行问题，[专注于确定SES和拉丁裔种族对在这些地点步行的建筑环境相关因素的作用]。这项工作将为未来研究农村建成环境与健康行为之间的关系奠定基础，并最终进行干预试验，帮助农村城镇更好地构建建成环境，促进其高危居民的步行。 公共卫生相关性：了解“建成环境”的客观和感知指标与步行之间的关系，有可能最终减少农村城镇居民的社会经济和种族健康差距。这项研究将提供必要的信息，帮助农村城镇促进步行和增进健康，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.