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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Physical activity

Hoosier Sport Re-Social: A Protocol for Developing a Biopsychosocial Body Satisfaction Intervention in Rural Indiana
Provides a study protocol for an intervention aimed at improving body satisfaction, healthy social media use, and positive exercise behaviors in adolescent girls living in rural Indiana. Discusses plans to examine adolescent self-esteem and physical activity levels, create a community co-design intervention, and conduct a mixed-methods pilot study within physical and health education classes.
Author(s): Janette M. Watkins, Janelle M. Goss, Vanessa M. Martinez Kercher, et al.
Citation: Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 11, 113
Date: 08/2025
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Associations Between Screen Time Use and Health Outcomes Among US Teenagers
Examines screen use and its correlation to health outcomes in teenagers aged 12 to 17. Utilizes self-reported data from the 2021–2023 National Health Interview Survey-Teen (NHIS-Teen) to analyze physical activity, sleep, weight, and mental health, further broken down by respondent demographics, including metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Benjamin Zablotsky, Amanda E. Ng, Lindsey I. Black, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22
Date: 07/2025
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Self-Reported Reasons Preventing US Adults From Walking to Places Within 10 Minutes of Home
Examines environmental, access, and individual reasons given for not walking to places near home, utilizing 2022 SummerStyles survey data of 3,967 adults. Breaks down self-identified reasons for not walking by geographic and demographic characteristics, including rurality. Discusses the value of walkability for physical fitness and community accessibility.
Author(s): Hatidza Zaganjor, Tiffany J. Chen, Miriam E. Van Dyke, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240394
Date: 06/2025
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Rural Health Disparities: Contemporary Solutions for Persistent Rural Public Health Challenges
Special issue of Preventing Chronic Disease featuring articles that examine rural health disparities and discuss rural public health strategies to address cancer, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, and to promote physical activity.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease
Date: 06/2025
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Cancer-Related Health Behaviors During the COVID 19 Pandemic in Geographically Diverse Samples Across the US
Examines cancer-related health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic via a June 2020-March 2021 survey of 21,911 people conducted through eight cancer centers. Includes demographic data, including rural-urban comparisons, on changes in physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, smoking and tobacco use, and alcohol consumption.
Author(s): Breanna B. Greteman, Allison Cole, Mary E. Charlton, et al.
Citation: BMC Cancer, 25, 50
Date: 01/2025
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Evaluation of a Pilot College Student-Based Physical Activity Implementation Strategy in a Rural Middle School
Evaluates a college student-led physical activity program in a rural Indiana middle school to determine feasibility related to recruitment, retention, implementation, attendance, acceptability, and cost. Discusses challenges with implementation in rural settings.
Author(s): Megan M. Kwaiser, Andrew M. Medellin, Janette M. Watkins, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(12), 1645
Date: 12/2024
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Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects In Smaller Communities
Discusses bicycle and pedestrian projects in smaller communities, with a focus on community planning and involvement, funding, and policy support. Includes information about the importance of active transportation on population health, community engagement and safety, environmental health, and resilient infrastructure.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Development Organizations
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Is Walk Score a Useful Tool for Measuring Walkability in Rural Communities?
Discuss the utility of measuring walkability in rural communities. Highlights the differences in rural infrastructure and the physical activity practices in rural communities.
Author(s): Jay E Maddock, Cindy Perry, Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e12895
Date: 11/2024
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Disparities Between Rural and Urban Communities: Response to 18 Months of Diet and Exercise Versus Control for Knee Osteoarthritis and Overweight or Obesity
Examines intervention outcomes related to pain, function, mobility, BMI, and health-related quality of life among rural and urban dwellers in North Carolina. Utilizes data from the Weight Loss and Exercise for Communities with Arthritis in North Carolina (WE-CAN) program, which provided diet and exercise (D+E) and attention control (C) interventions to 823 older adults.
Author(s): Stephen P Messier, Megan G Monroe, Leigh F Callahan, et al.
Citation: Arthritis Care & Research, 77(1), 69-76
Date: 11/2024
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Rural Health Webinar Series November 2024
Webinar series discussing rural health issues on topics including social connectedness, digital literacy and internet access, physical activity, community partnerships, graphic medicine, and opioid use. Webinars listed in the "Previous Classes" tab.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Network of the National Library of Medicine
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