title: Evaluating the quality and accessibility of physical activity resources in two southern cities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Access and quality of physical activity resources (PARs) influence physical activity (PA) participation. This study examined the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of PARs in two cities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Researchers identified all PARs within an 800-meter radius of the homes of participants from a larger study. Each PAR was evaluated by a trained assessor.
  
  
  METHODS
  PARs were evaluated in Houston and Austin, Texas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The final sample included 1326 PARs in Houston and 297 in Austin, Texas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 2010 Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA), a direct-observation audit tool, was used to assess the type, size, accessibility, features, amenities, and incivilities of a PAR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both t-tests and analyses of variance were used to determine differences in features, amenities, and incivilities by city, type, and accessibility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Houston PARs had greater amenities (t[421]  =  4.445; p < .001) and fewer incivilities (t[371]  =  -6.89; p < .001) than Austin PARs. Combination resources had the highest score for features (M  =  9.94; standard deviation [SD]  =  5.62); fitness clubs had the highest score for amenities (M  =  17.06; SD  =  5.27); and trails had the most incivilities (M  =  4.23; SD  =  4.88). Free PARs had greater features (F[3, 1509]  =  16.87; p < .001), amenities (F[3, 1500]  =  3.13; p  =  .025), and incivilities (F[3, 1540]  =  21.97; p < .001) than pay for use PARs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvements to quality and maintenance of existing free PARs may be an economical strategy to increase PA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-6015, USA.
authors.forename: Heather J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Adamus
authors.forename: Scherezade K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mama
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sahnoune
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004779:Environment Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013781:Texas