This presentation consists of new findings by the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC:Rural) on Person-Environment Fit and the environment in terms of resources and demands. Presentation © 2016 RTC:Rural. Our research is supported by grant #90RT50250100 from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research within the Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services. The opinions expressed reflect those of the author and are not necessarily those of the funding agency.

1. Barriers Matter
Andrew Myers, Tannis Hargrove, Craig Ravesloot, Bryce Ward
© 2016 RTC:Rural. Our research is supported by grant #90RT50250100 from the National Institute on Disability, Independent
Living, and Rehabilitation Research within the Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services.
The opinions expressed reflect those of the author and are not necessarily those of the funding agency.

2. Participation is an Interaction
• Participation is the interaction between person & environment
• Interaction with environmental barriers can limit participation
• System of multiple related pieces
• Environmental demands
• Personal needs
• Values and goals
• Other people
• Etc…
• Opportunity & choice is the goal

3. Person-Environment Fit
• An interactive model of participation
• How personal factors interact with environmental factors to influence
community participation
• Good fit can lead to more opportunities & choices for participation
• Similar to other people
• Shared goals and values
• Community demands are manageable
• Community meets personal needs
• Make a contribution

4. The Rural Environment
• The environment shapes our opportunities.
• While rural communities are places many of us call home…
• Rural environments can be particularly challenging.
• Poor accessibility
• Few economic resources (unemployment, poverty)
• Healthcare may be sparse and expensive
• Highest rates of disability
• Person-Environment Fit may help us better understand how rural
environments contribute to disability.

5. Research Questions
• How do people with disabilities perceive fit in their rural
communities?
• How are environmental barriers associated with fit?

6. Measuring Fit
• Demands-Abilities (DA)
• “The match is very good between the demands of my community and my
personal skills.”
• Needs-Supplies (NS)
• “My community fulfills my needs.”
• Unique Contribution (UC)
• “My unique differences add to the success of my community.”
• Interpersonal Similarity (IS)
• “I am similar to other residents of my community.”
• Value Congruence (VC)
• “The values of my community are a good fit with my values.”

7. Measuring Barriers
• Home Entrance: “It was easy to get in and out of my home.”
• Home Safety: “I feel safe leaving my home.”
• Building Access: “Buildings were accessible to me.”
• Transportation: “I didn’t have transportation.”
• Curb Cuts: “My community had too few curb cuts.”
• Weather: “The weather was too bad to get out.”
• Attitudes: “People’s attitudes toward me were positive.”

8. Measuring “Disability”
• American Community Survey
• Implemented in all national surveys as standardized measure
• Measure functional activity (e.g., impairment), NOT disability
• Mobility impairment: Do you have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs?
• Self-care impairment: Do you have difficulty bathing or dressing?

9. Community Population Disability Rate
Sparta, WI 9,522 13.4%
Havre, MT 9,310 13.4%
Ellsworth, ME 7,741 18.7%
Cameron, TX 5,552 22.2%
Russell, KS 4,506 17.1%
Franklin, NC 3,845 22.5%
Soda Springs, ID 3,058 13.3%
Coudersport, PA 2,546 19.9%
Galeton, PA 1,149 17.2%
Highlands, NC 924 10.8%
Grace, ID 915 19.4%
Lucas, KS 393 12.4%

10. Average Fit by Impairment

11. Barriers % Likely NOT A Barrier
Home Entrance 50%
Home Safety 68%
Building Access 112%
Transportation 67%
Curb Cuts 38%
Weather 56%
Attitudes 42%
Better Demands-Abilities Fit & Barriers

12. Barriers % Likely NOT A Barrier
Home Entrance 35%
Home Safety 26%
Building Access 43%
Transportation 51%
Curb Cuts 25%
Weather 20%
Attitudes 76%
Better Needs-Supplies Fit & Barriers

13. Some Conclusions
• People with mobility difficulty reported…
…best fit between themselves and other residents in the same
rural communities.
…poorest fit between the demands of their rural communities and
their personal needs.
• Better fit associated with fewer barriers
• Better fit, better opportunities and choices

14. For Your Consideration…
• Where do you feel like you fit best?
• How might improving fit in the community increase
opportunities and choices for participation?
• How might fit be improved?