SLI PATH TO HEALTH WALKING ROUTES IN RHODE ISLAND: EVALUATION OF A COMMUNITY-BASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE PROGRAM: PRELIMINARY WORK

Sli na Slainte (Path to Health) is an innovative environmental change program developed by the Irish Heart Foundation and franchised in the USA by the American Heart Association. The program involves the installation of walking paths on existing sidewalks located in close proximity to where people live and work. It is designed to promote physical activity, primarily walking, for leisure and good health among people of all ages. Rhode Island is the pilot site for the implementation of this program in the USA under the auspices of the Rhode Island Prevention Coalition. Grant support has come from community sponsors, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the American Heart Association to develop the infrastructure and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Sli Path to Health Program. The evaluation of this environmental change program is ongoing and consists of several components using qualitative and semi-quantitative evaluation methodologies. The first method is to obtain simple counts of pedestrians walking along the Path routes and adjacent areas at selected locations, days, times and seasons. The second component is directed questioning of passers-by about their physical activity habits and recognition of the Path signs. The third evaluation method is a simple physical activity questionnaire administered in worksites adjacent to the Paths and by telephone survey of neighbourhood residents. The fourth method is the addition of questions about walking Paths to ongoing statewide population health surveillance. The last method is process evaluation obtained at every stage of the implementation of the program. The methodology is discussed in detail and lessons learned are presented. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E204599.

• Corporate Authors:

  WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

  441 MURRAY STREET
  PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA  Australia  6000
• Authors:
  • EWING-GARBER, C
  • LAZAR, I G
  • LAPANE, K L
  • Hall, J P
  • ROSE, S
  • GREENE, K M
  • MARCUS, B
  • CARLETON, R A
• Conference:
  • AUSTRALIA: WALKING THE 21ST CENTURY, INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, 2001, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, VOL 1
• Publication Date: 2001-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 21-32

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Environment; Evaluation and assessment; Health; Pedestrians; Public participation; Questionnaires; Walkways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Change
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 8525: Conference; 2455: Environment; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 2720: Footway; 2144: Health; 9147: Interview; 9048: Modification; 1733: Pedestrian; 142: Public participation; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00937200
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 5 2003 12:00AM