Barriers associated with the public use of sports facilities in China: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background Sports and recreational facilities provide an important community resource where physical activity can be promoted among local residents. However, in China, many sports facilities are not fully open to the public and are often underutilized as essential public services. The purpose of this study was to examine the barriers to public entry from the facility management point of view. Methods A qualitative study informed by constructivist grounded theory. Individual interviews were conducted with executive managers, marketing staff, and facilities management personnel (n = 15). We took an inductive approach to data synthesis utilizing procedural three-level coding, and used the electronic data management program (NVivo12) to organize the data analysis process. Results The 15 participants discussed factors that impacted the sports facilities’ capacity to serve the public. Four key themes emerged from data synthesis: (a) Policy-related restrictions, (b) Management-related factors, (c) Service-related factors, and (d) Supervision factors. Specific barriers affecting facilities’ availability and accessibility involved policies and regulations, administrative pressure, institutional mechanisms, ideas, a professional team, practical ways, content development, schedule setting, spirit building, assessment and supervision, crisis management, and public evaluation. Conclusion Findings from this qualitative study provided theoretical ground and empirical support for future research aimed at making sports facilities more accessible to the public in order to maximize physical activity and meet the objectives of the national fitness blueprint in China.

Continuous voluntary community care services for older people in China: Evidence from Wuhu

“…Grounded theory does not need a priori conclusions and assumptions based on empirical data to establish a concept ( 45 ) and mainly adopts qualitative analysis methods ( 46 , 47 ). Its main advantage is its ability to compare and analyze interview data in order to propose categories, which has gained this method a good reputation for qualitative data analysis in many research fields ( 48 , 49 ).…”

Involvement of Physical Education Teachers in Community Sport as Public Service

“…Despite the calls for their accessibility to local populations to promote physical activity, there has been little to no progress action on the matter. In fact, more than 90% of the sports facilities remain rarely used or have not reached their maximum capacity (Gao et al, 2022). Therefore, this notable findings about the quality of sports facility used (hall/court/pool) in community sports must be strengthened to increase the body building development of members of the community.…”

“…They could also collaborate with organizations such as the Senior Sports Association to explore methods and modes of serving the physical activities of elderly fitness enthusiasts. While the government needs to establish a scientific mechanism to provide feedback on the results (Gao et al, 2022).…”

Regional Differences in the Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity Among Chinese Adults: A Social-Ecological Perspective

“…Before the pandemic, individuals in economically advanced regions in China (East & North) were found to be more actively engaged in physical activities compared to those in less economically developed regions (Middle & West)[24]. However, specific barriers (policy-related restriction, administrative pressure, and institutional mechanisms) implemented during the pandemic impacted the availability and accessibility of public and sports facilities in various regions[25], potentially influencing PA participation in different areas. Research indicated that, despite having more exercise and public facilities, the East and North regions exhibit lower participation in MVPA compared to the West and Middle regions[26].…”