The association between neighborhood factors and physical activity and screen-time among youth with visual impairments

Background: Youth with visual impairments tend to be at an elevated risk for developing health-related conditions. A thorough understanding of factors associated with health-related behaviors is crucial for the development of effective interventions. Little research has examined the importance of neighborhood factors for physical activity and screen-time behaviors of individuals with visual impairments. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between neighborhood factors and physical activity and screen-time among youth with and without visual impairments. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), which is composed of a cross-sectional probability sample of noninstitutionalized youth aged 0–17 years in the United States, were utilized for this study. This study included 1536 youth aged 6–17 with visual impairments. Behavioral variables and environmental factors were recorded via parent report. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVAs and multiple regression models were computed to examine the research questions. Results: Youth with severe visual impairments had lower levels of physical activity compared to youth with without visual impairments, as well as those with mild or moderate visual impairments. Among youth with mild visual impairments and those without visual impairments, perceiving the neighborhood to be safe was associated with greater amounts of physical activity. For youth with moderate visual impairments, perceiving the neighborhood to be less safe was associated with increased screen-time. No environmental factors were associated with physical activity or screen time for youth with severe visual impairments. Conclusions: Neighborhood safety appeared to be an important factor associated with health behaviors among youth without visual impairments, as well as those with mild or moderate visual impairments. Interestingly, no relationship existed between environmental factors and youth with severe visual impairment, suggesting that further research is needed to identify factors that influence physical activity and screen-time among youth with more severe visual impairments.