Is Your Neighborhood Designed to Support Physical Activity? A Brief Streetscape Audit Tool

Abstract

IntroductionMacro level built environment factors (eg, street connectivity, walkability) are correlated with physical activity. Less studied but more modifiable microscale elements of the environment (eg, crosswalks) may also affect physical activity, but short audit measures of microscale elements are needed to promote wider use. This study evaluated the relation of a 15-item neighborhood environment audit tool with a full version of the tool to assess neighborhood design on physical activity in 4 age groups.MethodsFrom the 120-item Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes (MAPS) measure of street design, sidewalks, and street crossings, we developed the 15-item version (MAPS-Mini) on the basis of associations with physical activity and attribute modifiability. As a sample of a likely walking route, MAPS-Mini was conducted on a 0.25-mile route from participant residences toward the nearest nonresidential destination for children (n = 758), adolescents (n = 897), younger adults (n = 1,655), and older adults (n = 367). Active transportation and leisure physical activity were measured with age-appropriate surveys, and accelerometers provided objective physical activity measures. Mixed-model regressions were conducted for each MAPS item and a total environment score, adjusted for demographics, participant clustering, and macrolevel walkability.ResultsTotal scores of MAPS-Mini and the 120-item MAPS correlated at r = .85. Total microscale environment scores were significantly related to active transportation in all age groups. Items related to active transport in 3 age groups were presence of sidewalks, curb cuts, street lights, benches, and buffer between street and sidewalk. The total score was related to leisure physical activity and accelerometer measures only in children.ConclusionThe MAPS-Mini environment measure is short enough to be practical for use by community groups and planning agencies and is a valid substitute for the full version that is 8 times longer.

Developing and validating an abbreviated version of the Microscale Audit for Pedestrian Streetscapes (MAPS-Abbreviated)

“…An alternate summary score can be reported and analyzed, in addition to the standard score. As with the MAPS-Mini (Sallis et al, 2015), we encourage the use of percent scores computed by calculating the observed score as a percent of the possible maximum score. The possible maximum score is created by summing the maximum scores for each item in a scale (including new items for modified versions).…”

“…Microscale, or smaller details of environments, including sidewalk and crossing quality and aesthetics, are believed to affect people’s confidence, comfort, and safety for walking in neighborhoods (Cain et al, 2014; Sallis et al, 2015), but they have been less well studied. Microscale features can be identified using neighborhood walk audits or other observational measures, and they are more easily modifiable in the short-term than macroscale features.…”

“…Our group recently developed and evaluated a short version of the original MAPS (Cain et al, 2014; Millstein et al, 2013), called MAPS-Mini (Sallis et al, 2015), that has 15 items and a simple scoring system. The brevity of this 15-item tool lends itself well to use by community groups, such as for advocacy purposes.…”

Reliability between online raters with varying familiarities of a region: Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes (MAPS)

“…A growing body of research indicates linkage between elements of the built environment and physical activity (Adams et al, 2012; Brownson, Hoehner, Day, Forsyth, & Sallis, 2009; Davison & Lawson, 2006; Rutt & Coleman, 2005; Sallis et al, 2009, 2015). Researchers have shown that macro-level features of the built environment, including regional land-use patterns, residential densities, and access to parks and public transportation, shape access to opportunities for physical activity (Li et al, 2008; Nagel, Carlson, Bosworth, & Michael, 2008; Troped, Wilson, Matthews, Cromley, & Melly, 2010).…”

Entornos y actividad física en enfermedades crónicas: Más allá de factores asociados

“…Dichas condiciones interactúan con las características individuales y, aunque Colombia no cuenta aún con hallazgos contundentes en este sentido, países de altos ingresos han contribuido con la explicación de los efectos de los entornos sobre tales decisiones (76) que si bien, no pueden extrapolarse precisamente por las condiciones del contexto, si pueden ayudar a dilucidar cómo han sido los procesos en la interacción del contexto y las características individuales en la realización de la AF.…”