Search

Background: Evidence supports the role of physical and social environments in active living, including perception of environment. However, measurement of perceived environments in rural settings is lacking. This study describes the development of the Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (RALPESS). Methods: Premised on social ecological and cognitive perspectives, 85 initial items were generated through a literature review and a mixed-methods investigation of "activity-friendly" environments. Items were organized by resource areas--town center, indoor and outdoor physical activity areas, schools, churches, and areas around the home/neighborhood--and submitted for expert panel review. In 2009, a revised questionnaire was disseminated to adolescents, parents, public school staff, and older adults in 2 rural southeastern United States counties. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation was used to explore factor structure (n = 542). Results: The final analysis yielded 33 items with 7 factors: 1) church facilities, 2) town center connectivity, 3) indoor areas, 4) around the home/neighborhood, 5) town center physical activity resources, 6) school grounds, and 7) outdoor areas. Conclusions: The RALPESS is a valid, internally consistent, and practically useful instrument to measure perceptions of rural environments in the context of physical activity across the lifespan. Confirmatory factor analysis is recommended to validate factor structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this pilot study was to examine demographic, health, behavioral, and social cognitive correlates of perceived worksite environmental support for physical activity (PA) in middle-age adults. Methods: A convenience sample (N = 173) of University employees in the Southeastern U.S. (mean age = 45) was surveyed using an internet-based questionnaire. Measures included perceived worksite environmental support for PA, self-reported minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA, self-regulation, self-efficacy for walking transportation, PA social support, health status, and sociodemographic items. Bivariate and hierarchical regression analyses were computed to examine correlates of perceived worksite environmental support for PA. Results: Bivariate analyses revealed male gender, self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA, self-regulation use, self-efficacy for walking transportation, and PA social support from friends and family as independent, positive correlates of perceived worksite environmental support for PA (P ≤ .05). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed self-regulation use and PA social support from friends as independent, positive correlates of perceived worksite environmental support for PA (final model R² = 20.30%, P ≤ .0001). Conclusions: Although causality cannot be determined, these pilot findings support a social cognitive approach. Further exploration of these relationships is warranted and health educators should consider perceptions of physical and social environments in planning future worksite PA promotion programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise is consistently related to physical and psychological health benefits in older adults. Bandura's social-cognitive theory (SCT) is one theoretical perspective on understanding and predicting exercise behavior. Thus, the authors examined whether three SCT variables--self-efficacy, self-regulation, and outcome-expectancy value--predicted older adults' (N = 98) exercise behavior. Bivariate analyses revealed that regular exercise was associated with being male, White, and married; having higher income, education, and self-efficacy; using self-regulation skills; and having favorable outcome-expectancy values (p < . 05). In a simultaneous multivariate model, however, self-regulation (p = . 0097) was the only variable independently associated with regular exercise. Thus, exercise interventions targeting older adults should include components aimed at increasing the use of self-regulation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Concepts that may be effective in alleviating negative alcohol-related consequences among college students are protective behavioural strategies (PBSs), such as alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Our study used an innovative hypothesis-testing statistical technique (structural equation modelling, SEM) to examine the relationship of PBSs, drinking behaviour and school performance among college student drinkers. Methods: We used confirmatory factor analysis and SEM to explore the relationship between drinking behaviour, PBSs and school performance among a sample of college students ( N == 371) who reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days. Findings: Results indicated that PBSs were positively associated with school performance and drinking behaviour mediated the relationship. Based on the combinatory rules for standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) and comparative fit index (CFI), this model represented a good fit to the data ( χ2 == 34.4, df == 17, SRMR == 0.03 and CFI == 0.98). Conclusions: Our study extends the line of research examining the relationship between drinking behaviour, including PBSs, and academic performance of college students by showing the usefulness of an innovative hypothesis-testing statistical technique - SEM. Researchers might want to consider utilizing SEM when examining such relationships in the future. In addition, based on the results of our analyses, colleges and universities with an interest in the academic performance of their students may want to consider implementing and promoting programmes that concern increasing the awareness of PBSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]