Implications of COVID-19 mitigation policies on recreational trail users: exploring antecedents to physical distancing on trails across the rural-urban continuum. (Special Issue: Space, place, and COVID-19.)
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
; 37(2), 2022.
Article
in English
| CAB Abstracts | ID: covidwho-2034511
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions led to a worldwide increase in greenspace use. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encouraged policies including physical distancing and COVID-related signage. However, the extent to which these policies influenced behavior is unknown. To fill this gap, we report on a 2020 observational study at 14 trails across six U.S. states framed within a social-ecological model. Behavioral observations of 8,093 groups assessed compliance rates with infection-mitigation behaviors. Additionally, we noted the presence of COVID-related signs, the days between the observation and stay-at-home order start date, the setting (i.e., urban, suburban, and wildland-urban interface), and correlation with the distance between groups that encountered one another. Group size, presence of signage, days since stay-at-home order implementation, and trail setting significantly correlated with physical distancing compliance, while controlling for trail design and encounter rate. Hence, both policy and setting appear to influence COVID-19 mitigation behavior.
Policy and Planning [EE120]; Sport and Recreational Activities [UU625]; Social Psychology and Social Anthropology [UU485]; urban areas; coronavirus disease 2019; pandemics; policy; recreational activities; trails; social distancing; rural areas; rural urban relations; USA; APEC countries; high income countries; North America; America; OECD Countries; very high Human Development Index countries; United States of America
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Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
CAB Abstracts
Language:
English
Journal:
Journal of Rural Social Sciences
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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