Military veterans’ motivation and barriers to outdoor recreation participation

ABSTRACT

Outdoor activity benefits veterans’ sense of well-being, coping skills and affective experience while improving physical and mental health. Understanding military veterans’ motivation for and barriers to outdoor recreation allows healthcare providers to design interventions that help veterans achieve their healthcare objectives through outdoor activity, which may enhance treatment engagement and clinical outcomes. Veterans were surveyed about their reasons for and barriers to participation in outdoor recreational activities. Veterans’ motivations for engaging in their preferred outdoor activities were: 1. keep fit and healthy, 2. meet new people, 3. learn something new, 4. feel in harmony with nature, and 5. achieve spiritual fulfilment. Veterans with mobility challenges more frequently pursued outdoor activities when it was important for them to keep fit and healthy. Veterans without mobility challenges more frequently pursued outdoor activities when it was important for them to: 1. experience challenge and excitement, 2. meet new people, 3. learn something new, 4. feel harmony with nature, and 5. achieve spiritual fulfilment. The most common barriers to outdoor recreation were health problems, crowded facilities, family time, and feeling too tired. Veterans’ motivations for outdoor recreation were stronger drivers of their actual outdoor recreation participation than barriers to that activity.

KEYWORDS:

• Military veteran
• outdoor recreation
• well-being
• motivation
• mental health

Disclosure statement

William Marchand receives royalties from two books that discuss mindfulness which may be a potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was unfunded; however, the work was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 19 Whole Health Flagship Site located at the George E. Wahlen VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System, SLC, Utah.

Notes on contributors

Tracy S. Herrmann

Tracy S. Herrmann is adjunct assistant professor, Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, SLC, UT and research program manager, Whole Health Services, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, SLC, UT.

Joanna E. Bettmann

Joanna E. Bettmann Schaefer is professor, Department of Social Work, University of Utah, SLC, UT.

Caroline Sweeney

Caroline Sweeney is staff psychologist, Whole Health Services, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, SLC, UT.

William R. Marchand

William R. Marchand is clinical professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, SLC, UT research director, Whole Health Services, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, SLC, UT.

Jennifer Carlson

Jennifer Carlson is volunteer, Whole Health Services, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, SLC, UT.

Adam W. Hanley

Adam Hanley is student, Department of Social Work, University of Utah, SLC, UT.