Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

LIVE: Thursday 2nd May 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

Quality sleep is essential for health. But what happens to our brains when sleep patterns are disturbed? Join our experts to explore the interplay between sleep disruption and neurological diseases, and the questions that you need to be asking your patients to help you prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Built environment interventions aimed at improving physical activity levels in rural Ontario health units: a descriptive qualitative study

Authors: Cara-Lee Coghill, Ruta K Valaitis, John D Eyles

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Few studies to date have explored the relationship between the built environment and physical activity specifically in rural settings. The Ontario Public Health Standards policies mandate that health units in Ontario address the built environment; however, it is unclear how public health practitioners are integrating the built environment into public health interventions aimed at improving physical activity in chronic disease prevention programs.

Methods

This descriptive qualitative study explored interventions that have or are being implemented which address the built environment specifically related to physical activity in rural Ontario health units, and the impact of these interventions. Data were collected through twelve in-depth semi-structured interviews with rural public health practitioners and managers representing 12 of 13 health units serving rural communities. Key themes were identified using qualitative content analysis.

Results

Themes that emerged regarding the types of interventions that health units are employing included: Engagement with policy work at a municipal level; building and working with community partners, committees and coalitions; gathering and providing evidence; developing and implementing programs; and social marketing and awareness raising. Evaluation of interventions to date has been limited.

Conclusions

Public health interventions, and their evaluations, are complex. Health units who serve large rural populations in Ontario are engaging in numerous activities to address physical activity levels. There is a need to further evaluate the impact of these interventions on population health.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Institute for Health Information. Obesity in Canada, A joint report from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Ottawa: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada; 2011.
2.
Colley RC, Garriguet D, Janssen I, Craig CL, Clarke J, Tremblay MS. Physical activity of Canadian adults: accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey. Health Rep. 2011;22(1):7–14. Ottawa.PubMed
3.
Colley RC, Garriguet D, Janssen I, Craig CL, Clarke J, Tremblay MS. Physical activity of Canadian children and youth: accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian health measures survey. Health Rep. 2011;22(1):15–23.PubMed
4.
Pelletier C, Dai S, Roberts K, Bienek A, Onysko J, Pelletier L. Report summary. Diabetes in Canada: facts and figures from a public health perspective. Chronic Dis Inj Can. 2012;33(1):53–4.PubMed
5.
Bruner MW, Lawson J, Pickett W, Boyce W, Janssen I. Rural Canadian adolescents are more likely to be obese compared with urban adolescents. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2008;3(4):205–11.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Galloway T. Obesity rates among rural Ontario schoolchildren. Can J Public Health. 2006;97(5):353–6.PubMed
7.
Plotnikoff RC, Bercovitz K, Loucaides CA. Physical activity, smoking, and obesity among Canadian school youth: comparison between urban and rural schools. Can J Public Health. 2004;95(6):413–8.PubMed
8.
DesMeules M. How Healthy are Rural Canadians?: An Assessment of Their Health Status and Health Determinants. Ottawa: Canadian Institute for Health Information= Institut canadien d'information sur la santé; 2006. p. 182.
9.
10.
Brownson RC, Haire-Joshu D, Luke DA. Shaping the context of health: a review of environmental and policy approaches in the prevention of chronic diseases. Annu Rev Public Health. 2006;27:341–70.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Frank LD, Engelke P. Multiple impacts of the built environment on public health: walkable places and the exposure to air pollution. Int Reg Sci Rev. 2005;28(2):193–216.CrossRef
12.
De Vet E, De Ridder D, De Wit J. Environmental correlates of physical activity and dietary behaviours among young people: a systematic review of reviews. Obes Rev. 2011;12(5):e130–42.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Durand CP, Andalib M, Dunton GF, Wolch J, Pentz MA. A systematic review of built environment factors related to physical activity and obesity risk: implications for smart growth urban planning. Obes Rev. 2011;12(5):e173–82.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
14.
Heath GW, Brownson RC, Kruger J, Miles R, Powell KE, Ramsey LT, et al. The effectiveness of urban design and land use and transport policies and practices to increase physical activity: a systematic review. J Phys Act Health. 2006;3:S55.CrossRef
15.
Papas MA, Alberg AJ, Ewing R, Helzlsouer KJ, Gary TL, Klassen AC. The built environment and obesity. Epidemiol Rev. 2007;29(1):129–43.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Renalds A, Smith TH, Hale PJ. A systematic review of built environment and health. Fam Community Health. 2010;33(1):68–78.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Coupland K, Rikhy S, Hill K, McNeil D. The Built Environment and Health 2011–2015. In: State of Evidence. Alberta: Alberta Health Services; 2011.
18.
Transportation Research Board and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Does the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity? In: Examining the Evidence. Washington D.C: Transportation Research Board; 2005. p. 282.
19.
Dunn J. Applying Realist Review to Assess the Potential of Interventions in the Urban Built Environment for Public Health in Peel Region. Peel Public Health. 2008;24(2008):32.
20.
Feng J, Glass TA, Curriero FC, Stewart WF, Schwartz BS. The built environment and obesity: a systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence. Health Place. 2010;16(2):175–90.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Frost SS, Goins RT, Hunter RH, Hooker SP, Bryant LL, Kruger J, et al. Effects of the built environment on physical activity of adults living in rural settings. Am J Health Promot. 2010;24(4):267–83.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Ding D, Gebel K. Built environment, physical activity, and obesity: what have we learned from reviewing the literature? Health Place. 2012;18(1):100–5.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Gangeness JE. Rural women’s perceptions of availability, development and maintenance of rural built environments. Online J Rural Nurs Health Care. 2012;9(2):52–66.
24.
Brownson RC, Hoehner CM, Day K, Forsyth A, Sallis JF. Measuring the built environment for physical activity: state of the science. Am J Prev Med. 2009;36(4):S99–123. e112.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
25.
Tucs E, Dempster B. Principles and practices of multi-sectoral collaboratives. In: Healthy Communities and the Built Environment. Toronto, Ontario: Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition; 2008.
26.
Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. Initial report on public health- Ontario. In. Toronto: Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. 2009; 134.
27.
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Ontario Public Health Standards 2008. Toronto: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; 2008. p. 72.
28.
Malatest RA and Associates Ltd. Final report. Prepared for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit as part of the Healthy Communities and Built Environment Project. In: Building healthy communities environmental scan. Simcoe Muskoka: Malatest RA and Associates Ltd; 2007. p. 93.
29.
30.
Sandelowski M. Focus on research methods-whatever happened to qualitative description? Res Nurs Health. 2000;23(4):334–40.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Patton MQ. Qualitative evaluation and research methods. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc; 1990.
32.
Creswell JW. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. 3rd ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage; 2012.
33.
Miles MB, HA M. Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc; 1994.
34.
Pope C, Mays N. Qualitative research: reaching the parts other methods cannot reach: an introduction to qualitative methods in health and health services research. BMJ. 1995;311(6996):42–5.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
35.
Wang CC, Yi WK, Tao ZW, Carovano K. Photovoice as a participatory health promotion strategy. Health Promot Int. 1998;13(1):75–86.CrossRef
36.
Basrur S. Chief medical officer of health report, Healthy weights, healthy lives. Toronto, Ontario: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2004.
37.
Jackson RJ, Kochtitzky C. Creating a healthy environment. In: The Impact of the Built Environment on Public Health. Washington, DC: Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse; 2001.
38.
39.
Langille L, Munro I, Romanow P, Lyons R, Bull A, Williams P. Building collaborative capacity for research and influencing policy: the rural communities impacting policy project. JRCD. 2008;3(3):23–55.
40.
Aytur SA, Satinsky SB, Evenson KR, Rodriguez DA. Pedestrian and bicycle planning in rural communities: tools for active living. Fam Community Health. 2011;34(2):173–81.CrossRefPubMed
41.
Frank LD, Saelens BE, Powell KE, Chapman JE. Stepping towards causation: do built environments or neighborhood and travel preferences explain physical activity, driving, and obesity? Soc Sci Med. 2007;65(9):1898–914.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Pucher J, Dill J, Handy S. Infrastructure, programs, and policies to increase bicycling: an international review. Prev Med. 2010;50:S106–25.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Built environment interventions aimed at improving physical activity levels in rural Ontario health units: a descriptive qualitative study
Authors
Cara-Lee Coghill
Ruta K Valaitis
John D Eyles
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1786-2

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

BMC Public Health 1/2015 Go to the issue

Research article

Neighbourhood built environment associations with body size in adults: mediating effects of activity and sedentariness in a cross-sectional study of New Zealand adults

Research article

The mental health, quality of life and life satisfaction of internally displaced persons living in Nakuru County, Kenya

Research article

Multimorbidity in older adults: magnitude and challenges for the Brazilian health system

Research article

The changing trends of HIV-1 prevalence and incidence from sentinel surveillance of five sub-populations in Yunnan, China, 2001–2010

Research article

Harmful practices in the management of childhood diarrhea in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Research article

A quantitative content analysis of UK newsprint coverage of proposed legislation to prohibit smoking in private vehicles carrying children