TY - JOUR PY - 2018// TI - Community and street-scale supports for walking in the US Virgin Islands before the 2017 hurricanes JO - American journal of public health A1 - Omura, John D. A1 - Ussery, Emily N. A1 - Carlson, Susan A. A1 - Arnold-Lewis, Kathleen A1 - Orr, John A1 - McGuire, Dana Olzenak A1 - Lewis, Lillianne A1 - Paul, Prabasaj A1 - Peterson, Erin L. A1 - Fulton, Janet E. A1 - Ellis, Esther M. SP - 1055 EP - 1058 VL - 108 IS - 8 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of community and street-scale design features that promote walking across the US Virgin Islands (USVI).

METHODS: In May 2016, the USVI Department of Health, with technical assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted a territory-wide audit with a validated tool. We selected street segments (nā€‰=ā€‰1114) via a 2-stage sampling method, and estimates were weighted to be representative of publicly accessible street length.

RESULTS: Overall, 10.7% of the street length contained a transit stop, 11.3% had sidewalks, 21.7% had at least 1 destination (e.g., stores, restaurants), 27.4% had a traffic calming feature (e.g., speed humps), and 53.2% had at least some street lighting. Several features were less prevalent on residential streets compared with commercial streets, including transit stops, sidewalks, destinations, and street lighting (Pā€‰<ā€‰.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Across the USVI, community and street-scale features supportive of walking were uncommon. Improving community and street-scale design in the USVI, particularly in residential areas, could increase physical activity by enhancing walkability and therefore improve public health. These data can be used to inform community planning in the USVI. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 21, 2018: e1-e4. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304449).

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0090-0036 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304449 ID - ref1 ER -