Low-income Families’ Perspectives On Physical Activity And Access To Outdoor Recreation

Parks and outdoor physical activity (PA)/recreation are beneficial for health, but residents of low-income neighborhoods often have less access to such environments compared to those residing in more resourced communities. Additionally, low-income neighborhoods are often disproportionately higher in the prevalence of chronic diseases and other negative health conditions. PURPOSE: To assess low-income parent-child dyads’ perspectives on PA, nature, and access to outdoor recreation. METHODS: Using a social determinants of health lens, qualitative interviews were conducted in parent-child dyads recruited from social services agencies in a suburban city in the southeast region of the U.S. Interview questions aimed to collect participants’ views about what health, PA, and nature meant to them, as well as barriers experienced when using local parks. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, then qualitatively analyzed by two investigators using a thematic descriptive content analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen participants (9 adults, 9 children; 67% White, 33% Black; 78% of adults reporting income ≤$25,000/year) completed the study. Qualitative results were organized around the key areas of focus in the interviews. The key areas and summarized participant perceptions (in parentheses) included: the meaning of health (longevity, freedom from illness, holistic wellness), the meaning and ways of being physically active (moving around, play, purposeful exercise), the meaning of nature (greenery, birds, sunshine), and ideal outdoor recreational spaces (infrastructure). Participants also expressed a general enjoyment of parks, but dissatisfaction with their own local parks due to lack of infrastructure and recreational resources, as well as various safety concerns. CONCLUSIONS: These data may provide insight into the design of outdoor spaces in low-income neighborhoods that could be perceived as more inclusive. Specifically, infrastructure and equipment (e.g., playing fields, slides, grills, maintained bathrooms) may be key support factors for families. Designing parks in low-income neighborhoods to mirror residents’ perceptions of nature and children’s inclination to play may help promote outdoor PA and free play in natural environments.