Test-Retest Reliability and Walk Score® Neighbourhood Walkability Comparison of an Online Perceived Neighbourhood-Specific Adaptation of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).

Levi Frehlich,Gavin R Mccormack,Anita Blackstaffe

doi:10.3390/ijerph16111917

Abstract

There is a growing public health interest in the contributions of the built environment in enabling and supporting physical activity. However, few tools measuring neighbourhood-specific physical activity exist. This study assessed the reliability of an established physical activity tool (International Physical Activity Questionnaire: IPAQ) adapted to capture perceived neighbourhood-specific physical activity (N-IPAQ) administered via the internet and compared N-IPAQ outcomes to differences in neighbourhood Walk Score®. A sample of n = 261 adults completed an online questionnaire on two occasions at least seven days apart. Questionnaire items captured walking, cycling, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity physical activity, undertaken inside the participant’s perceived neighbourhood in the past week. Intraclass correlations, Spearman’s rank correlation, and Cohen’s Kappa coefficients estimated item test-retest reliability. Regression estimated the associations between self-reported perceived neighbourhood-specific physical activity and Walk Score®. With the exception of moderate physical activity duration, participation and duration for all physical activities demonstrated moderate reliability. Transportation walking participation and duration was higher (p < 0.05) in more walkable neighbourhoods. The N-IPAQ administered online found differences in neighbourhoods that vary in their walkability. Future studies investigating built environments and self-reported physical activity may consider using the online version of the N-IPAQ.

Highlights

There is a growing public health interest in the contributions of the built environment in enabling and supporting physical activity
Several systematic reviews provide consistent evidence for an association between neighbourhood built characteristics and physical activity [1,2,3]. While this evidence is encouraging, the accuracy of estimated associations between the built environment and physical activity have been limited by the use of non-context specific physical activity measures; that is, measures of physical activity associated with built environment characteristics have not been specific to the neighbourhood, rather capturing behaviour regardless of the location
Our findings suggest that International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) items, that are adapted to capture self−reported perceived neighbourhood-specific physical activity and are administered via the internet, provide reliable estimates of behaviour

Summary

Introduction

There is a growing public health interest in the contributions of the built environment in enabling and supporting physical activity. Several systematic reviews provide consistent evidence for an association between neighbourhood built characteristics and physical activity [1,2,3]. While this evidence is encouraging, the accuracy of estimated associations between the built environment and physical activity have been limited by the use of non-context specific physical activity measures; that is, measures of physical activity associated with built environment characteristics have not been specific to the neighbourhood, rather capturing behaviour regardless of the location. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 1917; doi:10.3390/ijerph16111917 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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