Barriers and correlates of physical activity in rural and urban Canada

Oral Presentation C12.1

Authors

  • Chelsea Pelletier University of Northern British Columbia
  • Nicole White University of Northern British Columbia
  • Annie Duchesne University of Northern British Columbia
  • Larine Sluggett University of Northern British Columbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.719

Keywords:

Rural-Urban Disparities, Physical Activity, Social-Ecological Model, Built-Environment

Abstract

Background: There is limited evidence about how social-ecological factors impacting physical activity differ based on rural-urban location or manifest as barriers to physical activity. Purpose: To compare barriers and correlates of physical activity between adults living in rural and urban areas of Canada and to explore interactions between socio-demographic factors and rural-urban location. Methods: We completed a cross-sectional analysis of the 2017 Canadian Community Health Survey Barriers to Physical Activity Rapid Response, with a final weighted sample of 24,499,462 (unweighted n=21,967). Nine barriers were classified as individual motivation-related, individual resource-related, and environmental (social and built). Results: Rural residents had higher odds of reporting barriers to facility access (OR=4.15 [3.58, 4.83]) and lack of social support (OR=1.17 [1.04, 1.32]) compared to urban residents. In the absence of any environmental barriers, rural residents were more likely to meet physical activity guidelines (OR=1.32 [1.10, 1.59]). Social support barriers were associated with lower odds of meeting physical activity guidelines for self-identified females and not males (OR=0.79 [0.66, 0.94]). There was no effect of location on the odds of reporting an individual resource-related variable (e.g., time, energy). Conclusions: Rural and urban residents were equally likely to report individual-level barriers to physical activity, however, rural residents reported increased environmental barriers. It is important to consider place and gender when characterizing barriers to physical activity. Funding: University of Northern British Columbia Research Data Centre. 

Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Pelletier, C., White, N., Duchesne, A., & Sluggett, L. (2021). Barriers and correlates of physical activity in rural and urban Canada: Oral Presentation C12.1. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.719