NEWS for Africa: adaptation and reliability of a built environment questionnaire for physical activity in seven African countries

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Research

Reginald Ocansey¹  Tracy L. Kolbe-Alexander²  Richard Larouche³  Mark S. Tremblay⁴  Sandra S. Kasoma⁵  Terry L. Conway⁶  Kavita A. Gavand⁶  James F. Sallis⁶  Kelli L. Cain⁶  Rufus A. Adedoyin⁷  Adewale L. Oyeyemi⁸  Felix Assah⁹  Vincent O. Onywera^1,10  Clare Bartels^1,11  Estelle V. Lambert^1,11  Antonio Prista^1,12  Kingsley K. Akinroye^1,13  Sarah J. Moss^1,14  Richmond Aryeetey^1,15 

[1] Active Living and Wellness Alliance Group (ALWAG), ALWAG Legacy, Nungua, Ghana;Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia;Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada;Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada;Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada;Department of Biochemistry and Sports Science, School of Biosciences, College of Natural Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda;Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, California, USA;Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria;Department of Physiotherapy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria;Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation Research Focus Area, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa;Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon;Department of Recreation Management and Exercise Science, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya;Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa;Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Universidade Pedagogica, Maputo, Mozambique;Nigerian Heart Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria;Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation Research Focus Area, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa;School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon Accra, Ghana;

关键词: Walkability;    Active transportation;    Play;    Recreation;    Community design;    Neighborhood;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12966-016-0357-y

 received in 2015-10-14, accepted in 2016-03-02,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBuilt environment and policy interventions are effective strategies for controlling the growing worldwide deaths from physical inactivity-related non-communicable diseases. To improve built environment research and develop African specific evidence, it is important to first tailor built environment measures to African contexts and assess their psychometric properties across African countries. This study reports on the adaptation and test-retest reliability of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale in seven sub-Saharan African countries (NEWS-Africa).MethodsThe original NEWS comprising 8 subscales measuring reported physical and social attributes of neighborhood environments was systematically adapted for Africa through extensive input from physical activity and public health researchers, built environment professionals, and residents in seven African countries: Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. Cognitive testing of NEWS-Africa was conducted among diverse residents (N = 109, 50 youth [12 – 17 years] and 59 adults [22 – 67 years], 69 % from low socioeconomic status [SES] neighborhoods). NEWS-Africa was translated into local languages and evaluated for 2-week test-retest reliability in adult participants (N = 301; female = 50.2 %; age = 32.3 ± 12.9 years) purposively recruited from neighborhoods varying in walkability (high and low walkable) and SES (high and low income) and from villages in six of seven participating countries.ResultsThe original 67 NEWS items was expanded to 89 scores (76 individual NEWS items and 13 computed scales). Several modifications were made to individual items, and some new items were added to capture important attributes in the African environment. A new scale on personal safety was created, and the aesthetics scale was enlarged to reflect African specific characteristics. Over 95 % of all NEWS-Africa scores (items plus computed scales) demonstrated evidence of “excellent” (ICCs > .75 %) or “good” (ICCs = 0.60 to 0.74) reliability. Seven (53.8 %) of the 13 computed NEWS scales demonstrated “excellent” agreement and the other six had “good” agreement. No items or scales demonstrated "poor" reliability (ICCs < .40).ConclusionsThe systematic adaptation and initial psychometric evaluation of NEWS-Africa indicates the instrument is feasible and reliable for use with adults of diverse demographic characteristics in Africa. The measure is likely to be useful for research, surveillance of built environment conditions for planning purposes, and to evaluate physical activity and policy interventions in Africa.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Oyeyemi et al. 2016