Protocol - Physical Activity - Neighborhood Environment
- Total Physical Activity - Comprehensive - Adolescent
- Total Physical Activity - Comprehensive - Adult
- Total Physical Activity - Comprehensive - Older Adult
- Walking-Ambulation Objective Measure
Description:
This protocol contains self-administered questions about the characteristics of the participant’s neighborhood that may influence his or her ability to exercise (e.g., walk, run, ride a bicycle). The questions are about the characteristics of the homes, streets, and sidewalks in the neighborhood; whether businesses are within a walkable distance of the person’s home; and neighborhood safety (traffic and crime).
Specific Instructions:
None
Protocol:
Think about the different facilities in and around your neighborhood; by this we mean the area ALL around your home that you could walk to in 10-15 minutes.
1. What is the main type of housing in your neighborhood?
1.[ ]Detached single-family housing
2.[ ]Townhouses, row houses, apartments, or condos of two-three stories
3.[ ]Mix of single-family residences and townhouses, row houses, apartments, or condos
4.[ ]Apartments or condos of 4-12 stories
5.[ ]Apartments or condos of more than 12 stories
6.[ ]Don’t know/not sure
The next items are statements about your neighborhood related to walking and bicycling.
2. Many shops, stores, markets, or other places to buy things I need are within easy walking distance of my home. Would you say that you . . .
1.[ ]Strongly disagree
2.[ ]Somewhat disagree
3.[ ]Somewhat agree
4.[ ]Strongly agree
5.[ ]Don’t know/not sure
3. It is within a 10-15 minute walk to a transit stop (such as bus, train, trolley, or tram) from my home. Would you say that you . . .
1.[ ]Strongly disagree
2.[ ]Somewhat disagree
3.[ ]Somewhat agree
4.[ ]Strongly agree
5.[ ]Don’t know/not sure
4. There are sidewalks on most of the streets in my neighborhood. Would you say that you . . .
1.[ ]Strongly disagree
2.[ ]Somewhat disagree
3.[ ]Somewhat agree
4.[ ]Strongly agree
5.[ ]Does not apply to my neighborhood
6.[ ]Don’t know/not sure
5. There are facilities to bicycle in or near my neighborhood, such as special lanes, separate paths or trails, shared use paths for cycles and pedestrians. Would you say that you . . .
1.[ ]Strongly disagree
2.[ ]Somewhat disagree
3.[ ]Somewhat agree
4.[ ]Strongly agree
5.[ ]Does not apply to my neighborhood
6.[ ]Don’t know/not sure
6. My neighborhood has several free or low-cost recreation facilities, such as parks, walking trails, bike paths, recreation centers, playgrounds, public swimming pools, etc. Would you say that you . . .
1.[ ]Strongly disagree
2.[ ]Somewhat disagree
3.[ ]Somewhat agree
4.[ ]Strongly agree
5.[ ]Don’t know/not sure
7. The crime rate in my neighborhood makes it unsafe to go on walks at night. Would you say that you . . .
1.[ ]Strongly disagree
2.[ ]Somewhat disagree
3.[ ]Somewhat agree
4.[ ]Strongly agree
5.[ ]Don’t know/not sure
Scoring
- For Question 1, score response 1 or 6 with a "0" and responses 2 through 5 with "1."
- For Questions 2, 3, and 6, score responses 1 or 2 or 5 with a "0," and score responses 3 or 4 with "1." The "strongly" and "somewhat" responses are being combined.
- For Questions 4 and 5, score responses 1, 2, 5, or 6 with a "0," and score responses 3 or 4 with "1."
- Disregard Question 7, it will not be scored.
- If the response to any item is "Don’t know/not sure", the item should be given a value of "0." "Does not apply to my neighborhood" is also given a value of "0."
- If the participant refuses to answer or skips any question, indicate the response is missing.
- Sum scores of Questions 1 through 6. Sum values even if one or more responses are missing or "0."
A higher overall score is more indicative of an activity-friendly neighborhood.
Protocol Name from Source:
NA, see source
Availability:
Personnel and Training Required
None
Equipment Needs
None
Requirements
| Requirement Category | Required |
|---|---|
| Major equipment | No |
| Specialized training | No |
| Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection | No |
| Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual | No |
Mode of Administration
Self-administered questionnaire
Life Stage:
Adult, Senior
Participants:
Ages 18 or older
Selection Rationale
Self-administered questionnaires that capture characteristics of the perceived and built environment have proven to be valid when tested against objective measures. These questions have been used in several international physical activity surveys.
Language
English
Standards
| Standard | Name | ID | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Data Elements (CDE) | Person Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Characteristic Assessment Description Text | 3107329 | CDE Browser |
| Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) | Phys act neighbor environ proto | 62842-0 | LOINC |
Derived Variables
None
Process and Review
The Expert Review Panel #1 reviewed the measures in the Anthropometrics, Diabetes, Physical Activity and Physical Fitness, and Nutrition and Dietary Supplements domains.
Guidance from the ERP includes:
- No significant changes
Back-compatible: no changes to Data Dictionary
Previous version in Toolkit archive (link)
Source
Sallis, J. F., Bowles, H. R., Bauman, A., Ainsworth, B. E., Bull, F. C., Craig, C. L., . . . Bergman, P. (2009). Neighborhood environments and physical activity among adults in 11 countries. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36, 484-490.
General References
Personal communication with Barbara Ainsworth, January 5, 2010.
Saelens, B. E., Sallis, J. F., Black, J. B., & Chen, D. (2003). Neighborhood-based differences in physical activity: An environment scale evaluation. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 1552-1558.
Sallis, J. F., DeBourdeaudhuij, I., & Owen, N. (2004). International Physical Activity and the Environment Network (IPEN). Retrieved from http://www.ipenproject.org/
Protocol ID:
151201
Variables:
Export Variables| Variable Name | Variable ID | Variable Description | dbGaP Mapping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PX151201_Bike_Pedestrian_Paths | ||||
| PX151201050000 | There are facilities to bicycle in or near more | N/A | ||
| PX151201_Crime_Rate | ||||
| PX151201070000 | The crime rate in my neighborhood makes it more | Variable Mapping | ||
| PX151201_Neighborhood_Main_Housing_Type | ||||
| PX151201010000 | What is the main type of housing in your more | N/A | ||
| PX151201_Recreation_Facilities | ||||
| PX151201060000 | My neighborhood has several free or low-cost more | N/A | ||
| PX151201_Shops_Walking_Distance | ||||
| PX151201020000 | Many shops, stores, markets, or other places more | N/A | ||
| PX151201_Sidewalks | ||||
| PX151201040000 | There are sidewalks on most of the streets more | N/A | ||
| PX151201_Transit_Stop | ||||
| PX151201030000 | It is within a 10-15 minute walk to a more | N/A | ||
Measure Name:
Physical Activity - Neighborhood Environment
Release Date:
May 10, 2010
Definition
This is a measure of neighborhood characteristics that influence physical activity.
Purpose
The social and physical environments influence physical activity behavior. The characteristics of a physical or "built environment" include land use and the design (e.g., local facilities, shopping, sidewalks, bike paths) of a neighborhood or community. If a person cannot walk or ride a bike in the neighborhood, he or she is less likely to engage in these types of physical activity.
Keywords
Physical Activity and Physical Fitness, social environment, exercise, physical environment, built environment, neighborhood