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Subject: USC Prevention Research Center Notes - 11/2005
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 15:52:46 -0500
From: USCPRC USCPRC <USCPRC@...>
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****UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
PREVENTION RESEARCH CENTER NOTES****
"Promoting Health through Physical Activity"

It's hard to believe that 2005 is almost in the history books. Looking
back, it seems as if the year was characterized by one major event after
another. Unfortunately, most of the events were tragic in scope causing
much heartache. However, many of you rose to the occasion to donate time,
money, and skills to support those in need. Such response is heartwarming
and uplifting. Hopefully, 2006 will be shaped by continued recovery and
relative peace. The USC PRC wishes all of you a joyous holiday season and
prosperous 2006. May it also be the most physically active year of your life!

Steven P. Hooker, PhD, Director
Delores Pluto, PhD, Newsletter Editor (dmpluto@...)
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu
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IN THIS ISSUE - November/December 2005

RESEARCH NOTES: Urban Trail Use; Adherence to Exercise Prescription Program

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES: ALRC Implements Expert Directory,
Active Living Storybank; New Bikes Belong Booklet

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS: 2006 National Bike Summit

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RESEARCH NOTES

URBAN TRAIL USE: A two-part study of trail use in Chicago, IL examined the
patterns, perceptions, and individual, social, and environmental aspects of
physical activity. The first portion of the study analyzed how individual,
social, and environmental factors affected the rates of trail use. Of 5,496
people observed, 9% were involved in high levels of activity while on the
trail, 65% in medium levels, and 26% in low levels of activity. 18-38 year
olds were the most likely to be involved in high levels of activity.
African-Americans had more low-level activity users than other groups. The
second portion of the study looked at the perceptions of 2,873 trail users.
Health motivated users (44%) were more likely to use the trail alone and
for shorter periods of time compared to recreational users (32%), who
tended to diversify their activity use amongst several trails.
Health-motivated users were significantly more likely than recreational
users to state "personal safety" was!
a concern that occurred with use of the trails. Gobster PH. Recreation
and Leisure Research from an Active Living Perspective: Taking a Second
Look at Urban Trail Use Data. Leisure Sciences, 27:367-383, 2005

ADHERANCE TO EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM: Poor rates of adherence to
doctor-advised exercise prescription create obstacles to the goal of
increasing physical activity in patient samples. Self-efficacy,
psychological well-being, and participant expectations were investigated to
assess the factors related to lack of adherence to a 12-week exercise
program, Participants normally had high expectations of the exercise
program. Those who completed the course had only modest expectations of
change compared to those who dropped out of the program. Self-efficacy
improved for those who completed the program, while it declined in those
who did not. Jones F, Harris P, Waller H, Coggins A. Adherence to an
exercise prescription scheme: The role of expectations, self-efficacy,
stage of change and psychological well-being. Br J Health Psychol.
10(3):359-78, 2005.

For additional summaries of recent research on promoting physically active
lifestyles, visit the Research Updates section of our website at
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/updates/index.htm.

REPORTS, SURVEYS, GUIDELINES, RESOURCES

ALRC IMPLEMENTS EXPERTS DIRECTORY: The Active Living Resource Center (ALRC)
web site has implemented a new online directory of experts who can assist
neighborhoods and communities in their efforts to make more bicycle
friendly and walkable environments. A person can search the Directory on a
state by state basis or use an advanced search page for queries by region
or specialty. To add your name or submit another person's name to the ALRC
Experts Directory, go to:
http://www.activelivingresources.org/new_expert.php. To use the Experts
Directory, go to: http://www.activelivingresources.org/experts_directory.php.

ACTIVE LIVING STORYBANK: The Active Living Network has launched the Active
Living Storybank, a searchable database with more than 100 projects,
programs and initiatives around the country. All entries promote health
through changes in the built environment, public policy and education. The
Storybank encompasses all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Guam, and allows
professionals, advocates, community leaders and others to find examples of
Active Living in action. Search the Active Living Storybank, or share your
story, at: www.activeliving.org. [Centerlines #135]

NEW BIKES BELONG BOOKLET: Bikes Belong has published a new 16-page booklet
entitled "Bicycling/Moving America Forward," which portrays bicycling and
highlights its benefits to the economy, communities, health, families, and
quality of life. Packed with useful information and statistics, the
booklet is a valuable tool to help advocates and industry representatives
garner support for bicycling. Bikes Belong plans to distribute it to
members of Congress, corporate leaders, mainstream media, elected officials
at all levels, municipalities, and the bike industry. To view a PDF of the
booklet, http://bikesbelong.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=265. Copies are also
available direct from Bikes Belong. Contact avery@.... [Bikes
Belong Website]

ICAA STRATEGIES TO PROMOTION PA IN OLDER ADULTS: This fall, practical
strategies to encourage older adults to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors
were developed by 48 experts attending the International Council on Active
Aging (ICAA) Strategy Session, "Motivation and Reward Systems That
Encourage Activity." The complete report submitted to the White House
Conference on Aging (WHCoA) policy committee, "Motivation and Reward
Systems That Encourage Activity," is available along with the ICAA Vision
Paper, "Physical Activities for the Elderly" on the ICAA web site. Visit
http://www.icaa.cc/icaareports.htm.


UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

2006 NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT: The League of American Bicyclists is convening
the 2006 National Bike Summit: Building Bicycle Friendly Communities in
Washington, DC on March 1 3, 2006. The call for papers/presentations
deadline is December 2, 2005. Go to
http://www.bikeleague.org/events/index.html for conference and registration
information.

For a more complete list of conferences and workshops, visit the PA links
section of our website at http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/PAlinks/index.htm.

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Writers: Lara Peck, Delores Pluto, Chris Davis

This and past issues of the "University of South Carolina Prevention
Research Center Notes" are available on our website at
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/Newsletter/index.htm. To submit an item,
please e-mail Delores Pluto at dmpluto@....

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, e-mail the Prevention
Research Center at USCPRC@.... When subscribing, please include your
name, e-mail address, title, and organizational affiliation. There is no
subscription cost. If you have an e-mail filter in place that only allows
messages from approved email addresses, please add uscprc@... to
your approved list.

For continuing discussions about physical activity, join the Physical
Activity and Public Health On-Line Network listserv. Instructions are
located on our website, at
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/newsletter/commands.htm#_Subscribe.

The USC Prevention Research Center is a member of the CDC Prevention
Research Center's National Network, consisting of 28 Centers in the U.S.
For more information about the PRC National Network, visit
http://www.cdc.gov/prc.
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Prevention Research Center, University of South Carolina
730 Devine Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29208
803-777-4253

This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number
1-U48-DP-000051 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not
necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.
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