Perceived social, environmental, and policy determinants of physical activity in rural midwestern adults

Background: Rural adults engage in less physical activity and are less likely to meet activity recommendations than urban or suburban adults. Ecological models propose that the environment impacts physical activity on several different levels. Understanding environmental factors that are associated with this behavior can help design interventions for increasing activity levels. Objectives: This study examined social, environmental, and policy factors that may be associated with whether one is active in specific physical activity domains (i.e. work, leisure time, etc.) and intensities (i.e. vigorous, moderate, etc.), to provide a clearer picture of what enables and inhibits physical activity in this population. Methods: Collaborating with community partners, a cross-sectional survey was mailed to 143 adults residing in a rural Midwestern county that assessed perceived social, environmental, and policy influences of physical activity. Multiple regressions were conducted to measure the associations between those determinants and physical activity. Results: Social factors were associated with total physical activity; environmental factors were associated with active transport, house and yard work, vigorous activity, and walking; and policy factors were associated with physical activity at work and moderate-intensity activity. Conclusion: Factors at different levels of an ecological model are associated with physical activity in various domains and intensities in rural adults. Findings from this study were shared with the community and can be used to tailor physical activity interventions in rural adults, with respect to the specific domains and intensity in which the physical activity occurs.