Promoting youth physical activity in rural southern communities: practitioner perceptions of environmental opportunities and barriers.
OBJECTIVE
Research on youth physical activity has focused on urban areas. Rural adolescents are more likely to be physically inactive than urban youth, contributing to higher risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Study objectives were to: (1) identify perceived opportunities and barriers to youth physical activity within a rural area and (2) identify rural community characteristics that facilitate or inhibit efforts to promote youth physical activity.


METHODS
Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with expert informants in 2 rural southern US counties. Interviewees were recruited from diverse positions across multiple sectors based on their expert knowledge of community policies and programs for youth physical activity.


RESULTS
Informants saw ball fields, natural amenities, and school sports as primary resources for youth physical activity, but they were divided on whether opportunities were abundant or scarce. Physical distance, social isolation, lack of community offerings, and transportation were identified as key barriers. Local social networks facilitated political action and volunteer recruitment to support programs. However, communities often lacked human capital to sustain initiatives. Racial divisions influenced perceptions of opportunities. Despite divisions, there were also examples of pooling resources to create and sustain physical activity opportunities.


CONCLUSIONS
Developing partnerships and leveraging local resources may be essential to overcoming barriers for physical activity promotion in rural areas. Involvement of church leaders, school officials, health care workers, and cooperative extension is likely needed to establish and sustain youth rural physical activity programs. Allocating resources to existing community personnel and volunteers for continuing education may be valuable.
Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Michael B
MB
Edwards
Daniel S
DS
Theriault
Kindal A
KA
Shores
Karen M
KM
Melton
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009657:North Carolina; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population
health promotion; qualitative research; rural; social determinants of health; youth