PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND PERCEPTIONS OF NEIGHBORHOOD WALKABILITY AMONG TURKISH WOMEN IN LOW AND HIGH SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY


Yildirim G., İNCE M. L., Muftuler M.

PERCEPTUAL AND MOTOR SKILLS, vol.115, no.2, pp.661-675, 2012 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 115 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2012
  • Doi Number: 10.2466/06.15.pms.115.5.661-675
  • Journal Name: PERCEPTUAL AND MOTOR SKILLS
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.661-675
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of physical activity exercise stages of change, and perceptions of neighborhood walkability among Turkish women who were living in low and high socio-economic (SES) environments. The participants included 188 women in low SES and 206 in high SES environments, between the ages of 18 and 65 years. The Low SES group had a higher rate of inactivity, and relative to the High SES group, was less likely to rate the neighborhood environment as promoting and supportive of physical activity. Intervention programs for women living in low SES areas should be developed and administered while taking the level of physical activity exercise stages of change, and perceptions of neighborhood walkability into consideration.