Introduction

There is increasing interest in perceptions of the built environment as a correlate of physical activity among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study examined if scores from the Abbreviated Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS-A) provide a valid inference regarding features of the environment in MS.

Methods

Participants completed a cross-sectional survey that included the NEWS-A as well as a demographic and clinical characteristics measure and the Social Provisions Scale (SPS). Walk Scores® were calculated based on residential addresses. We examined Spearman's Rank-Order Correlations (r_s) among NEWS-A subscales with Walk Scores®, social environment, and individual factors, and interpreted the correlations based on a nomological network informed by a social-ecological model.

Results

There were complete data for 566 participants with MS. There were large correlations between NEWS-A land-use mix diversity, land-use mix access, infrastructure for safety and walking with Walk Scores® (r_s = 0.51–0.57). There were medium correlations between NEWS-A residential density, street connectivity, and crime with Walk Scores® (r_s = 0.31–0.48), and small correlations between NEWS-A aesthetics and traffic hazards with Walk Scores® (r_s = 0.04–0.10). There were small-medium correlations between all other NEWS-A subscales with SPS, marital status, age, and PDDS (r_s = 0.01–0.39).

Conclusions

Our results provide initial evidence for the validity of NEWS-A scores as a measure of perceived neighborhood walkability that may be associated with health behaviors in MS.

中文翻译：

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多发性硬化症患者的简化邻里环境步行能力量表：分数推断的初步验证

介绍

人们对建筑环境作为多发性硬化症（MS）患者身体活动的相关因素的认识日益增长。这项研究检查了来自缩写邻里环境步行量表（NEWS-A）的分数是否能提供有关MS中环境特征的有效推论。

方法

参加者完成了一项横断面调查，其中包括NEWS-A以及人口统计学和临床​​特征量度以及社会规定量表（SPS）。步行得分®是根据居住地址计算得出的。我们研究了WalkScores®，社会环境和个体因素在NEWS-A子量表中的Spearman等级相关性（r _s），并基于社会生态模型提供的名词网络解释了相关性。

结果

有566位MS参与者的完整数据。NEWS-A土地使用组合多样性，土地使用混合使用权，安全基础设施和WalkScores®的步行之间存在很大的相关性（r _s  = 0.51-0.57）。WalkScores®在NEWS-A住宅密度，街道连通性和犯罪之间存在中等相关性（r _s  = 0.31–0.48），WalkScores®在NEWS-A美学和交通危害之间具有较小的相关性（r _s  = 0.04– 0.10）。在所有其他NEWS-A子量表与SPS，婚姻状况，年龄和PDDS之间存在中小相关性（r _s  = 0.01-0.39）。

结论

我们的结果为NEWS-A分数的有效性提供了初步的证据，该分数可以衡量可能与MS的健康行为相关的邻里步行感。