Abstract
The social ecological approach suggests that the spatial context among other factors influence physical activity behavior. Ample research documents physical environmental effects on physical activity. Yet, to date inconsistent associations remain, which might be explained by conceptual and methodological challenges in measuring the spatial dimensions of health behavior. We review methods applied to measure the spatial contexts in the social ecological physical activity literature. Online databases and selected reviews were used to identify papers published between 1990 and 2020. A total of 2167 records were retrieved, from which 412 studies that used physical activity as a primary outcome variable, included measures of the physical environment and applied the main principles of the social ecological approach, were included. Subjective approaches were the dominant method to capture the spatial context of physical activities. These approaches were applied in 67% (n=279) of the studies. From the objective approaches an administrative unit was most prevalent and was applied in 29% (n=118) of the studies. The most comprehensive objective spatial methods that capture the true environmental exposure, were used only in 2% (n=10) of the studies. Current social ecological physical activity research applies simple conceptualizations and methods of the spatial context. While conceptual and methodological concerns have been repeatedly expressed, no substantive progress has been made in the use of spatial approaches. To further our understanding on place effects on health, future studies should carefully consider the choice of spatial approaches, and their effect on study results.
Highlights
IntroductionSocial ecological approaches are described in the literature with multiple, interchangeable labels, such as ecological perspective, socialecological model, social ecological approaches, ecological model(s), and multiple-level models (Richard et al, 2011)
We review methods applied to measure the spatial contexts in the social ecological physical activity literature
This paper presents a systematic search and a scoping review on how the spatial context and physical environment is being captured in studies applying social ecological approach to study physical activity
Summary
Social ecological approaches are described in the literature with multiple, interchangeable labels, such as ecological perspective, socialecological model, social ecological approaches, ecological model(s), and multiple-level models (Richard et al, 2011) Despite these minor terminological and conceptual differences, common to all social ecological approaches of human health behavior is that they evolved from the fields of social ecology, environmental psychology and social and public health sciences. We review methods applied to measure the spatial contexts in the social ecological physical activity literature. Results: Subjective approaches were the dominant method to capture the spatial context of physical activities These approaches were applied in 67% (n=279) of the studies. Conclusions: Current social ecological physical activity research applies simple conceptualizations and methods of the spatial context. To further our understanding on place effects on health, future studies should carefully consider the choice of spatial approaches, and their effect on study results
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