Associations of sociodemographic and community environmental variables to use of public parks and trails for physical activity

Abstract

Health practitioners suggest that building walking trails and parks that are available and accessible to the public are useful interventions to promote physical activity; however few studies exist on factors that promote public park or trail use. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate determinants of and correlates to public park and trail use. A random-digit-dialled, cross-sectional telephone survey was administered to 2117 South Carolina, US residents in two adjacent counties. Participants more likely to use trails were employed (p<.001), African American (p<.001), younger (aged 18–34, p<.001), perceived the community safe for physical activity (p<.05), knew one or more mapped out routes for walking/jogging and bicycle routes (p<.001), and reported one or more available trails or parks they might use (p<.001). Similar to participants reporting trial use, park users were more likely to be employed (p<.001), male (p<.05), African American (p<.001), aged 18–34 (p<.001), knew of two or more walking/jogging or bicycle routes (p<.001), perceived the community was safe (p<.05) and perceived that physical activity was important to citizens in the county (p<.05). Convenient and accessible trails and parks may be of particular importance/benefit for promoting physical activity among persons of ethnic minority groups.

Key words:

• trail
• park
• physical activity
• environment