An Analysis of the Benefits of a Community Wellness Center

Introduction In Iowa, the communities that comprise the Northeast corner of the state provide several different opportunities for residents to increase their physical activity behaviors. Geographically, Northeast Iowa is blessed with topography that has allowed numerous parks and trails to be constructed for community use. During the calendar year, the seasons of spring, summer, and fall enable many individuals to enjoy outside activities such as walking, biking, hiking, swimming, and running. However, certain weather conditions that are uniquely presented by the winter months in Iowa often inhibit individuals from maintaining physical activity levels or prevent them from participating in outdoor activities. Thus indoor facilities may be beneficial in the winter season as well as other times of the year when conditions are not suitable for outdoor activity. In the town of Decorah, indoor fitness centers that are currently in use include Team Rehab, Curves, Anytime Fitness, and the Regents Center of Luther College. Although Decorah offers various fitness facilities for residents to gain membership, no one location provides year-round access to all the desired equipment or components of wellness in one setting. In comparison, the community of Waukon recently constructed the Waukon Wellness Center in November of 2007. This institution provides a walking track, sports courts that are available for basketball, volleyball, and tennis, two racquetball courts, a batting cage, a golf cage, cardio machines, child care center, FreeMotion strength equipment, free weights, and a teen center with pool table and lounging area. Design & Procedure The study was conducted by forming a survey based on the Physical Activities Staging, the RAPA, and the International Activity Questionnaire. The survey was then distributed to the previously mentioned facilities. The facility then approved the survey and distributed it among their members and associates. Surveys were then completed and collected via pick up, email, and by mail. The surveys were then scored and processed into a data spread sheet, and comparison graphs were created from significant data. Hypothesis Could the benefits of increased physical activity levels that could potentially result from the presence of a community wellness center be great enough for the town of Decorah to spend the time, energy, resources, and money to invest in such a construction? We hypothesize that the presence of a community wellness center will increase the activity levels of residents in that community. Furthermore, we predict that in a community where a community wellness center is not currently present, most residents would intend to use one if one became available. We predict that a wellness center would help people advance into the action phase and in the future lead them into the maintenance stage, enhancing their progression through the Transtheoretical Model. Results The majority of the samples selected in Waukon and in Decorah are in the active level followed by the under-active regular level (Fig. 1). A small number of residents of Waukon and Decorah fall into the Under-active and Sedentary levels (Fig. 1). There was not a statistical difference between the number of people in each level of activity between Waukon and Decorah (χ 2 = 4.08, critical χ 2 for 3 degrees of freedom= 7.815, α = 0.05). The majority of Decorah residents in the action and maintenance stages believe they would use a community wellness center if available (Fig. 2). However, there are similar amounts of residents who believe they would and would not use a community wellness center if available in the precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages (Fig. 2). Most Waukon residents who are in the maintenance stage use the available community wellness center (Fig. 2). However, in the precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action stages there are similar amounts of residents who use and do not use the community wellness center (Fig. 2). Conclusion Residents of Waukon are not more physically active than Decorah residents. It appears that there is no positive relationship between the presence of a community wellness center and the physical activity levels of members living in that community, since Decorah residents appear to be just as active as Waukon residents, despite the absence of a community wellness center in Decorah. This trend may be due to the availability of four private fitness facilities in the Decorah community. Waukon does not have as many fitness facilities accessible for members of its community, so it may be possible that there is a positive relationship between Waukon’s community center and the physical activity levels of Waukon residents. More research would need to be conducted before any conclusions are made about this possible relationship. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that the Waukon Wellness Center serves no beneficial purpose for its residents, but it can be concluded that it does not increase the prevalence of higher physical activity levels of Waukon residents in comparison to the prevalence of Decorah residents currently engaging in high levels of physical activity. Thus, the hypothesis stating that the presence of a community wellness center would increase the physical activity levels of residents in that community is not correct according to our data. There are more Decorah residents who would intend to use a community center if one was available in the Decorah community than there are who would not intend to use one, a trend that is seen in residents placed in all of the stages in the Transtheoretical Model. Thus, most residents would intend to use a community wellness center if one were to be built in Decorah. Therefore, the hypothesis stating residents living in a community that does not have an available community wellness center would intend to use one if made available is correct. It cannot be concluded that a community wellness center advances an individual’s progression through the Transtheoretical Model. This is illustrated in the data that shows there are similar percentages between the Waukon and Decorah participants who would intend to use and who do not intend to use a community wellness center in the precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages. Since there is not a decrease in the percent of residents in these first three stages of the model for the Waukon sample, this hypothesis is incorrect. Overall, evidence from this investigation suggests that Decorah residents would be interested in utilizing a community wellness center if one were to be built in Decorah. However, construction of a center may not increase the physical activity levels across the total population of the community because the residents who intend to use a community wellness center self-report as already being active. Lauren Wettach, Katie Roberts, Paige Flaten, Sarah Mietz, and Kristi Kietzmann Luther College
Participants
190 surveys were distributed throughout Decorah through:
Decorah High School
John Cline Elementary School
St. Benedict’s School
Decorah Public Library
Winneshiek Medical Center
Decorah Lutheran Church
Wal Mart
159 of these surveys presented usable data
95 surveys were distributed in Waukon through:
Iron Ridge Church
Waukon Public Library
Middle School
St. Paul’s Forest Mills Church
United Methodist Church
Allamakee Student Fitness Email List
Waukon Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
79 of these surveys presented usable data
Measures Waukon Wellness Center Transtheoretical Model Figure 1. This graph represents the levels of activity reported by Waukon and Decorah residents following the RAPA categorization of activity level. Figure 2. This graph represents the distribution of Decorah residents’ intent to use an available community wellness center according to current stage in the Transtheoretical Model. Figure 3. This graph represents the distribution of Waukon residents’ intent to use an available community wellness center according to current stage in the Transtheoretical Model. An Analysis of the Benefits of a Community Wellness Center How often do you engage in moderate physical activity? *Sedentary: ~ rarely or never do any physical activities *Under Active: ~ light or moderate physical activities, but not every week *Under Active Regular: ~moderate physical activities less than 5 days/week, < 30 min at a time ~vigorous physical activities less than 3 days/week, < 20 min at a time *Active: ~30+ min/day of moderate physical activities, 5+ days/week ~20+ min/day of vigorous physical activities, 3+ days/week. RAPA 1. Do you currently engage in regular physical activity? *If item 1 = NO and item 2 = NO: Pre-contemplation *If item 1 = NO and item 2 = YES and item 3=NO: Contemplation *If item 1 = NO and item 3 = YES: Preparation *If item 1 = YES and item 4 = NO: Action *If item 1 = YES and item 4 = YES: Maintenance PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STAGING Example Question Response Scale Scale

An Analysis of the Benefits of a Community Wellness Center

by iowafoodandfitness on Jan 12, 2009

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An Analysis of the Benefits of a Community Wellness Center — Presentation Transcript