Environmental Factors Affecting Rural Physical Activity Behaviors: Learning from Community Partners

Background: Rural environments present many barriers to regular physical activity (PA), and residents who live in these communities are at higher risk for a variety of health issues.

Objectives: We used community-based participatory research (CBPR) to guide the development of project interventions and enhance partnerships within the communities.

Methods: University–community partnerships, including Extension professionals, were used to gather data from twenty key informants in two West Virginia counties.

Results: Respondents identified “places” as both barriers (lack of access or quality) and assets in their communities. “Community culture” was identified as a significant barrier. Solutions that emerged from the data include “new/enhanced places” or “events/programs”.

Conclusions: These data supported the notion that there are unique social, cultural, and environmental factors affecting rural PA behavior. These interviews also contributed to increased capacity for local engagement and reinforced the need for community member leadership in the larger project.