Assessing the built environment, programs, and policies that support physical activity opportunities in the rural Deep South

Brown, Nashira; Rogers, Laura Q.; Powell, Mary Anne; Hardy, Claudia M.; Baskin, Monica L.; Oster, Robert A.; Pisu, Maria; Demark‐Wahnefried, Wendy; Pekmezi, Dori

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102223

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…This region is disproportionately burdened by inactivity and pre-existing comorbidities (e.g., high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes) [15]. Well-documented environmental barriers to PA (e.g., poor walkability and few playgrounds, trails, and recreational facilities) and gaps in programs and policies (e.g., requirements for sidewalks and bikeways in new infrastructure projects) exist in these counties [16,17] and may have been compounded by pandemic-related restrictions. Black Belt counties were among the hardest hit during the pandemic, with nearly 30% more COVID-19 deaths in 2020 than non-Black Belt counties in Alabama [18] Such statistics raise concerns regarding the potential exacerbation of existing health disparities and call for examination of the pandemic's impact upon important health indicators, such as PA levels, in this region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity among Mostly Older, Overweight Black Women Living in the Rural Alabama Black Belt

Neal,

Schleicher,

Baron

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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Despite well-documented global declines in physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known regarding the specific impact among underserved, rural Alabama counties. This is concerning as this region was already disproportionately burdened by inactivity and related chronic diseases and was among the hardest hit by COVID-19. Thus, the current study examined the effect of COVID-19 on PA in four rural Alabama counties. An ancillary survey was administered between March 2020 and August 2021 to the first cohort (N = 171) of participants enrolled in a larger PA trial. Main outcomes of this survey included the perceived impact of COVID-19 on PA, leisure-time PA, and social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs at 3 months. Almost half of the participants reported being less active during the pandemic (49.7%) and endorsed that COVID-19 made PA more difficult (47.4%), citing concerns such as getting sick from exercising outside of the home (70.4%) and discomfort wearing a face mask while exercising (58%). Perceived COVID-19 impact on PA was significantly associated with education, household dependents, and gender (p’s < 0.05). More women, parents, and college graduates reported that the COVID-19 pandemic made PA more difficult. Overall, there were no significant associations between PA, SCT constructs, or perceived COVID-19 impact on PA scores at 3 months. While the pandemic made PA difficult for many participants, these barriers were not associated with leisure-time PA levels or related theoretical mechanisms of action, which bodes well for the success of our ongoing intervention efforts and the resiliency of these communities.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%