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Novel Assessment of Built Environment Assets and Barriers to Healthy Eating and Active Living in Rural Communities
Author(s) -
Messing Jennifer,
Connor Leah,
King Abby,
Sheats Jylana,
Winter Sandra,
Buman Matthew,
Seguin Rebecca
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.273.8
Subject(s) - built environment , participatory action research , psychological intervention , active living , focus group , photovoice , environmental health , community based participatory research , gerontology , schema crosswalk , psychology , geography , medicine , business , economic growth , public health , nursing , marketing , engineering , civil engineering , pedestrian , archaeology , economics
A community's built environment can influence key health behaviors. Rural populations experience significant health disparities, yet built environment studies in these settings are limited. In this qualitative study, we aimed to understand characteristics of the rural built environment using the Stanford Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool, a novel, participatory, tablet‐based assessment tool. Men (n=10) and women (n=14) aged 39‐89 years (mean, SD = 65±13) were recruited from four rural towns in New York (6 per town). Participants used the Discovery Tool to take pictures and record audio narratives about community features perceived as assets or barriers to healthy eating and active living. Identified assets, barriers, and opportunities for change were discussed during follow‐up focus groups. Commonly reported assets included parks, trails, and seasonal access to local produce. Groups shared frustration over high costs of healthy foods and poor sidewalk and crosswalk conditions. Residents identified numerous opportunities for community improvement projects. In contrast to Discovery Tool data from urban communities, trails were a commonly mentioned rural asset while trash—a common urban concern—was not raised by our rural residents. Our results support the need for individual community assessments and the importance of hearing residents' perspectives when considering environmental and policy change interventions. This research was supported by the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research.