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Changes in physical activity after building a greenway in a disadvantaged urban community: A natural experiment
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Changes in physical activity after building a greenway in a disadvantaged urban community: A natural experiment

Amy H. Auchincloss, Yvonne L. Michael, Julia F. Kuder, Jinggaofu Shi, Sumaiya Khan and Lance S. Ballester
Preventive medicine reports, v 15, pp 100941-100941
01 Sep 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100941
PMID: 31338283
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100941View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0,  Open

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Science & Technology
Few studies have evaluated physical activity changes in response to active transportation investments in low-income disadvantaged communities. This quasi-experimental pre-post paired location design assessed physical activity responses to a 1.5-mile urban greenway constructed in 2013 along arterial streets in a poor, high-crime, predominantly African-American neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pre-construction (2011) and post-construction (fall 2014), systematic observations (N = 8783) and environmental audit data were collected at the greenway and a comparison area. Post-construction intercept surveys were collected at the greenway (N = 175). Secondary data sources included census 2010-2014 and crime rates. Post-construction, there were notable improvements in street and sidewalk design, however, conditions remained sub-optimal and crime remained high. Most greenway users resided in the neighborhood and were daily users. Systematic observations at the greenway found slight increases in non-walking MVPA after construction (running or bicycling rose from 4% to 9%) and MVPA that included walking-fast (rose from 16% to 18%). However, the magnitude of the increase was similar to the increase in MVPA observed at the comparison site, which suggested that intensity of physical activity did not change as a result of the greenway (p-value > 0.15 for adjusted interaction between pre-post and location). Greenways, absent comprehensive improvements to the built and social environment, may be insufficient to promote MVPA in very disadvantaged high-crime urban communities.

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Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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