The Settings And Characteristics Of Park-based Physical Activity And The Association Of Park-based Physical Activity With Their Correlates In Urban Parks Among Elderly People : A Comparative Study Between Wuhan And Hong Kong

A lot of research indicates that urban parks have been recognized as important physical activity(PA)places for senior city residents.Based on the social ecological model and using observation and face to face questionnaire survey,the present study aimed to investigate PA areas in parks and their use by the elderly in Wuhan and Hong Kong and examine the associations of park-based physical activity(PBPA)with psycho-social and perceived park environmental factors of elderly and evaluate the moderating effect of city(urban area)on associations of these factors with PBPA.Observation and a face-to-face survey was conducted in twelve parks from Wuhan and Hong Kong,during spring and autumn.PA areas and the PA executed by the elderly were observed in six parks in each city.Additionally,observers used SOPARC(System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities)to survey park-based PA of the active elderly in Wuhan and in Hong Kong.In six parks of each city physically active elderly from Wuhan(n=320,Mean age=67.09,SD=5.56)and Hong Kong(n=317,Mean age=69.96,SD=6.81)were recruited to report PBPA,personal(age,gender,height,weight,marriage,education),psychosocial(self-efficacy,social support,perceived benefits,perceived barriers,enjoyment)and perceived park environmental(safety,attractiveness,features,park time distance)factors by using questionnaire survey.Results demonstrated that paths were the most often used PA areas by the elderly,where the elderly walk in both cities.Findings of observation showed that PA type(?~2=4635.78,p<.001),intensity(?~2=5118.8,p<.001)and time period(?~2=388.36,p<.001)were significant between Wuhan and Hong Kong elderly.According to a face-to-face survey,it showed that psychosocial and perceived park environmental factors were significantly associated with park-based PA among elderly people.According to hierarchical multiple regression,PBPA of elderly is significantly influenced by perceived benefits(?=0.217,p<0.001)and perceived barriers(?=0.194,p<0.05).City has an independent contribution to PBPA of the elderly(?=0.263,p<0.001).The interactions of self-efficacy and urban area(city)are indicated(?=0.094,p<0.05),which needs more examination in future.Park planners should consider optimizing the functioning of PA areas to facilitate elderly physical activity in parks thus enhancing the health status of the elderly.Future studies should pay greater attention to the contribution of park environment to the park-based PA in Wuhan and Hong Kong older adults.