The Electronic Community Park Audit Tool (eCPAT): Exploring the Use of Mobile Technology for Youth Empowerment and Advocacy for Healthy Community Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change

Abstract

Empowering and engaging youth in advocacy and participatory action research (PAR) for healthy community environments is an emerging approach to reducing the childhood obesity epidemic. Technology is a promising strategy for engaging youth in such efforts. The Community Park Audit Tool (CPAT) is user-friendly tool for evaluating the ability of parks to promote youth physical activity. Recently an electronic version of the tool (eCPAT) was developed and validated. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of eCPAT mobile technology on youth empowerment and advocacy. This study examined tool usability, youths' technology access, use, and readiness for PAR efforts, effectiveness of mobile technology on youth empowerment and advocacy, interaction effects between tool format and regular technology use, and tool format preferences. Youth ages 11–18 years were recruited and randomized into one of three study conditions: Control (no audit), paper (CPAT), and mobile technology (eCPAT). Intervention youth completed two park audits using assigned format. A subsample of youth in the Control group completed both CPAT and eCPAT audits for comparison. Independent samples t-tests and MANCOVAs explored differences in post-project levels of tool usability and empowerment and advocacy scores between groups. Multivariate linear regression analysis explored the interaction between Control, Paper, or eCPAT group membership and mean technology use in predicting empowerment and advocacy. Youth (n = 124) completed pre and post surveys. The majority of youth had access to technology (smartphone 77.4%, tablet/iPad 67.7%). Youth used mobile technology at least once a day to use apps (M = 7.8, SD = 3.2), browse the web (M = 6.3, SD = 3.3), and search for information (M = 6.3, SD = 3.5). Youth were also ready and willing to use technology for PAR (M = 3.42–3.59). No main or interaction effects were found for post-project levels of youth empowerment or advocacy. However, the eCPAT tool had high usability scores, was better liked, and was preferred by youth over paper-pencil methods. Mobile technologies are ubiquitous and a preferred strategy among youth for engagement in community change. Future studies should explore mobile technology as a potential strategy for engaging youth in ongoing PAR efforts to achieve successful engagement and advocacy in community healthy environmental change.

Environmental conditions, mobile digital culture, mobile usability, knowledge of app in COVID-19 risk mitigation: A structural equation model analysis

“…The direct relationship between MU and EC conceptualized in this study is valid and resonates with other studies ( Besenyi et al, 2018 ; Hermes et al, 2019 ; Morita et al, 2019 ). Similarly, Knowledge of APP and EC is also significant by data response and consistent to literature ( Morita et al, 2019 ).…”

“…The architectural designers and professionals incorporated usability applications monitored by smartphones, engaged in building capacity in subjectivity and objectivity of the end-users. Other studies supported the efforts advocated for mobile technology usability in the community environment healthy evaluation of parks to provide youth with healthy physical activities, promoted by smartphone guidance ( Besenyi et al, 2018 ).…”

Development and testing of mobile technology for community park improvements: validity and reliability of the eCPAT application with youth

“…Additionally, after serving as the control group, a subsample of youth completed park audits using both the CPAT and eCPAT formats. Data related to technology and youth empowerment and engagement as well as qualitative exploration of youth experiences are addressed in separate manuscripts [38,54]. This paper reports on validity and reliability data collected from all youth who used the eCPAT application during the course of the larger project.…”

“…Technology can also improve youth empowerment by combating common issues with youth participation such as fighting apathy [31], supporting reflective thought [35], improving selfsufficiency [36], reducing anxiety [32], and increasing civic engagement [32,37]. A more complete review of literature on the use of technology for youth engagement in participatory processes can be found elsewhere [38].…”

A Scoping Review of the Health Benefits of Nature-Based Physical Activity

“…Improving access to natural settings can provide increased opportunity for PA for populations at risk of inactivity. Several tools exist to assess access, maintenance, and to facilitate park use such as the Electronic Community Park Audit Tool, and others (eCPAT/ParkAdvisor; Bedimo-Rung et al, 2006;Besenyi et al, 2016;Besenyi et al, 2018;Gustat et al, 2020).…”