title: Different strategies contribute to community physical activity program participation in rural versus metropolitan settings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Determine if recruitment methods are differentially related to the reach of a physical activity program in metro/urban vs. rural settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kansas counties.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-four Cooperative Extension agents responsible for 102 counties.
  
  
  METHODS
  Promotional score, task force activity, and years of program delivery were assessed using a self-report survey. Reach was assessed for each county by dividing the number of participants by intended population using census data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural/urban comparisons on reach were completed using a Mann-Whitney test. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine the relationship between independent variables and participation rate by setting type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metro/urban counties had lower mean participation rates than rural counties (z = -4.5; p < .001). In metro/urban counties, the regression on participation rate was significant (R(2) = .19; F = 4.09; p = .011), but only promotional score significantly contributed to the model (p = .003). In rural counties, the regression was also significant (R(2) = .34; F = 6.64; p = .001), with task force activity and years of delivery making significant contributions (p = .001 and p = .017, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interpersonal methods may be more effective in recruiting physical activity program participants in rural settings, whereas using a greater variety of promotional methods may be more effective in metro/urban settings.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061, USA. jwages@vt.edu
authors.forename: Joan Given
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wages
authors.forename: Sharolyn Flaming
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.forename: Mido
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Estabrooks
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas; D009043:Motor Activity; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*