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Crime, perceived safety, and physical activity: A meta-analysis
Erika Rees-Punia1, Elizabeth D Hathaway2, Jennifer L Gay3
1Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
Preventive Medicine
|November 22, 2017
Summary
Feeling safe from crime boosts physical activity (PA) levels. Conversely, higher crime rates reduce the odds of accumulating sufficient PA, highlighting safety
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Criminology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Perceived safety from crime and objective crime rates are potential correlates of physical inactivity.
- Understanding the relationship between crime perception/rates and physical activity is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis estimating the odds of achieving high physical activity (PA) levels based on perceived safety from crime.
- To assess the odds of high PA in areas with objectively measured high crime rates.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, Web of Science, etc.) up to 2016.
- Included studies measured physical activity (total, leisure-time, walking) alongside perceived safety or objective crime measures.
- Random effects models aggregated odds ratios; meta-regression explored moderators like country, age, and measurement types.
Main Results:
- Individuals feeling safe from crime had 27% greater odds of high PA (OR=1.27).
- Living in areas with higher objectively measured crime was associated with 28% reduced odds of high PA (OR=0.72).
- Perceived safety effects were highly heterogeneous; moderators were not significant due to small sample sizes.
Conclusions:
- A significant association exists between perceived safety and physical activity, suggesting perceived lack of safety may constrain PA behaviors.
- Findings indicate that interventions promoting perceived safety could potentially enhance population physical activity levels.
- Further research is needed to explore moderators influencing the perceived safety-PA relationship to guide public health strategies.
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