While researchers have acknowledged the importance of community environment on physical activity, few systematic investigations of the relationship between community physical and social characteristics and physical activity have been undertaken. Drawing upon theoretical and empirical developments in urban sociology, urban planning, transportation, and health services research, the proposed analyses assess the hypothesis that the built environment and social environment of urban community affects physical activity over and above individual background. We propose a research project that investigates the designs of the built environment and multiple facets of community social, economic, demographic, and cultural environment in their influences on physical activity. Using multiple data sources including the Census data, CIS-based measures and two existing survey data, this research will address the following questions:1) How does the design of the built environment affects physical activity over and above individual social and demographic background?; 2) How do community-level social factors such as trust, safety, physical disorder, feelings of community morale affect individual likelihood of physical activity independently of the effects of the built environment?; 3) Whether and how do the built environment and social environment interact to impact physical activity? For example, does the effect of neighborhood walk ability vary according to neighborhood SES or other aspects of social environment such as trust? 4) What are the ecological relationship between the built environment and social environment at the community level?; and 5) How are the above relationships sensitive to geographic aggregation levels of community? What are the most appropriate aggregation levels relevant to physical activity? ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
1R03HD052537-01
Application #
7073061
Study Section
Pediatrics Subcommittee (CHHD)
Program Officer
Spittel, Michael
Project Start
2006-06-01
Project End
2008-05-31
Budget Start
2006-06-01
Budget End
2007-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$74,750
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Utah
Department
Social Sciences
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
009095365
City
Salt Lake City
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84112