Perceptions of the availability of recreational physical activity facilities on a university campus.
OBJECTIVE
The author's purpose in this study was to assess perceptions of recreational physical activity (PA) facilities on a university campus.


METHODS
Four-hundred and sixty-seven undergraduate students participated in this study (women = 293; men = 174).


RESULTS
The author found a significant percentage difference between women and men concerning the availability of racquetball courts on campus, 47% vs 63%, t (465) = -3.274. The author similarly found a significant percentage difference between women and men's perceptions concerning the availability of tennis courts. Twenty-seven percent of women were unaware or did not know tennis courts were available for PA, in comparison with 19% of men t (465) = -2.413. Awareness of recreational facilities revealed significant differences (Pillai's Trace = .189, p < .05) between freshmen and upperclassmen. Freshmen perceived themselves to have access to fewer recreational facilities on campus.


CONCLUSIONS
More efforts to increase awareness of PA facilities are needed on university campuses.
Reed
Julian
J
Furman University, Greenville, SC 29613, USA. julian.reed@furman.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006295:Health Resources / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010465:Perception; D011633:Public Facilities; D011998:Recreation / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013022:South Carolina; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities