Concept mapping: priority community strategies to create changes to support active living.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community Interventions
• Urban Planning

Background:

• Active Living by Design (ALbD) funded 25 partnerships from 2003-2008.
• Partnerships focused on policy and environmental changes for active living.
• Complementary programs and promotions were also implemented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To use concept mapping to identify effective active living strategies.
• To leverage the experiences of community representatives from ALbD initiatives.
• To gain insights into promising intervention approaches.

Main Methods:

• Concept mapping software used for statement generation (n=43).
• Respondents (n=26) sorted and rated intervention strategies.
• Cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling analyzed data patterns.

Main Results:

• Three key intervention approaches identified: built environment changes, partnership/collaboration, and land-use/transportation policies.
• These approaches were perceived as most important for community change and increasing physical activity.
• Intervention importance varied by partnership subgroups and target populations.

Conclusions:

• Findings offer actionable insights for decision-makers, practitioners, and residents.
• Prioritization of active living strategies can be informed by this research.
• Strategies can be tailored for different populations and settings.