Open AccessRelating physical activity to health status, social connections and community facilities
Author(s) -
MacDougall Colin,
Cooke Richard,
Owen Neville,
Willson Kristyn,
Bauman Adrian
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.1997.tb01768.x
Subject(s) - recreation , public health , health promotion , psychological intervention , social determinants of health , gerontology , physical activity , promotion (chess) , psychology , environmental health , medicine , political science , nursing , politics , law , physical medicine and rehabilitation
An important public health goal is to increase the population's participation in regular, moderate physical activity. Descriptive epidemiological studies that focus only on associations between physical activity and demographic and psychological factors are not sufficient to inform exercise promotion strategies, and a broader view of health is required. This study investigates the additional factors of health status, social connections and satisfaction with local area facilities by analysing data from a 1987 community health survey of 1765 residents of Adelaide. Factors associated with low activity were age group, education, general health (women), reduced mobility, number of social connections (men) and degree of satisfaction with recreation facilities. Including social and structural factors is valuable for research into interventions, policy and theory relating to physical activity as it brings theoretical perspectives and links to other areas of public health and social research. (Aust N Z J Public Health 1997; 21: 631–7)