Meaning and experiences of physical activity in rural and northern communities

ABSTRACT

Rural communities are often characterised by having decreased access to infrastructure and resources to engage in physical activity when compared to urban centres. Subjective experiences of and values ascribed to physical activity can provide insights to support intervention and policy development. The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning and experiences of physical activity participation in rural and northern communities. We completed semi-structured interviews with 12 adults living in rural and northern communities of British Columbia, Canada using purposive sampling for geographic and demographic representation. An inductive reflexive thematic analysis was completed collaboratively with researchers and knowledge users. Identified themes associated with meaning of physical activity included community development, social participation, and movement across the life-course. Experiences engaging in physical activity aligned to the themes: built environment, natural environment, and social and personal factors. Findings suggest that people living in rural and northern communities value aspects of physical activity related to community cohesion and participation within their community. Proximity to outdoor recreation opportunities contributes to decreased reliance on facilities for physical activity and represents a unique strength that can be leveraged for physical activity promotion in rural communities.

KEYWORDS:

• Exercise
• health promotion
• qualitative research
• stakeholder engagement
• rural population
• recreation
• integrated knowledge translation

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the BC SUPPORT Unit, Northern Centre.

Notes on contributors

Chelsea A. Pelletier

Chelsea A. Pelletier is an Assistant Professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia (Prince George, BC, Canada). Her current research interests include the promotion of physical activity in rural, remote, and northern communities, with a particular focus on northern BC and building community partnerships.

Kirsten Ward

Kirsten Ward completed her Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours degree at the University of Northern British Columbia (Prince George, BC, Canada) where she explored the facilitators of physical activity maintenance in older adults living in northern BC. She is currently a student in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Anne Pousette

Anne Pousette is a family physician and Executive Director of Promotion of Wellness in Northern BC (WINBC), a registered non-profit organization with a mission to build capacity for wellness through education, research, and community development in order to reduce chronic disease in Northern British Columbia. Dr. Pousette completed her MPH at the University of Liverpool with a concentration in health promotion and health systems, and her MPH Dissertation involved a qualitative research project among community-living older adults in northern BC.  Passionate about the role multi-sectoral approaches in communities can play in improving health, Dr. Pousette is involved in connecting stakeholders around innovative approaches and in utilizing qualitative research to support co-design, evaluation, and implementation.

Gloria Fox

Gloria Fox is the Regional Physical Activity Lead in the Population and Preventive Public Health department of the Northern Health Authority. Her background is in the field of Therapeutic Recreation, which focuses on supporting and facilitating clients’ engagement in meaningful recreation, leisure, and play experiences that enhance their overall wellness and quality of life. She remains passionate about improving the health and wellness of others by promoting improved and equitable access to meaningful, relevant, and positive physical activity experiences for all northerners.