Measuring the environment for friendliness toward physical activity: a comparison of the reliability of 3 questionnaires.
OBJECTIVE
We tested the reliability of 3 instruments that assessed social and physical environments.


METHODS
We conducted a test-retest study among US adults (n = 289). We used telephone survey methods to measure suitableness of the perceived (vs objective) environment for recreational physical activity and nonmotorized transportation.


RESULTS
Most questions in our surveys that attempted to measure specific characteristics of the built environment showed moderate to high reliability. Questions about the social environment showed lower reliability than those that assessed the physical environment. Certain blocks of questions appeared to be selectively more reliable for urban or rural respondents.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite differences in content and in response formats, all 3 surveys showed evidence of reliability, and most items are now ready for use in research and in public health surveillance.
Department of Community Health and Prevention Research Center, Saint Louis University School of Public Health, St Louis, MO, USA. brownson@slu.edu
Ross C
RC
Brownson
Jen Jen
JJ
Chang
Amy A
AA
Eyler
Barbara E
BE
Ainsworth
Karen A
KA
Kirtland
Brian E
BE
Saelens
James F
JF
Sallis
D000328:Adult; D004779:Environment Design / Q000592:standards*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011998:Recreation / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data