Development of the Rural Active Living Assessment Tools: Measuring rural environments

Authors

Anush Yousefian Hansen MS, MA, University of Southern Maine
Erin Hennessey MPH, Tufts University, Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
M. Renee Umstattd PhD, University of Alabama, Department of Health and Science; Christina Economos PhD, University of Mississippi, Center for Health Behavior Research
Christina Economos PhD, University of Mississippi, Center for Health Behavior Research
Jeffrey S. Hallam PhD, University of Mississippi, Center for Health Behavior Research
Raymond R. Hyatt PhD, Tufts University, School of Medicine
David Hartley PhD, MHA, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research Center

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2010

Keywords

Access/Insurance, active living, rural, assessment, environment, exercise, observation, policy, MRHRC, population health

Publication Title

Preventative Medicine

Abstract

Objective: Develop rural-specific assessment tools to be used by researchers and practitioners to measure the activity-friendliness of rural communities.

Method: The tools were created through a mixed-methods investigation into the determinants of physical activity among rural populations. This informed the development of a conceptual framework defining activity-friendly rural environments. Questions were generated to reflect applicable existing urban-based variables and rural conceptual model elements. Pilot testing was conducted in seven rural US communities during the fall of 2008. Inter-rater reliability was assessed.

Results: The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) Tools include three components: Town-Wide (18 town characteristic questions, and inventory of 15 recreational amenities), Program and Policy (20 questions), and Street Segment (28 questions). We found that the Town-wide and Program and Policy tools were feasible for community members to implement. The observed agreement and ? statistic across all items for the Street Segment Assessment were substantial (91.9% and 0.78, respectively).

Conclusions: The RALA Tools were shown to be feasible and reliability was supported. They assess features believed to be supportive of active living in rural environments, offer users a resource to assess rural environments for activity-friendliness, and may also inform the design of interventions to help rural communities become more active and healthy.

Recommended Citation

Yousefian, A., Hennessy, E., Umstattd, M. R., Economos, C., Hallam, J., Hyatt, R. R., & Hartley, D. (2010). Development of the rural active living assessment tools: Measuring rural environments. Preventive Medicine, 50(Supplement 1), S86-S92.