Tuesday, April 02, 2013

APTA Seeks Member Comments on Walking for Surgeon General Call to Action

To address the public health problem of physical inactivity, the Department of Health and Human Services is accepting comments on walking as an effective way to be sufficiently active for health. The information collected will help frame an anticipated Surgeon General's call to action on this issue.

APTA will submit comments by the April 30 deadline. APTA members are encouraged to send their recommendations to APTA to be included in the association's submission to HHS.

The notice requests information on ways to increase walking and community walkability on the following 2 topics:

(1) Barriers to walking for youth, adults, seniors, people with developmental injury and chronic disease-related disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and low-income individuals.

(2) Evidence-based strategies for overcoming those barriers and their reach and impact to increase physical activity at the population level and among the above-mentioned subpopulations

Send your comments by COB April 26 to Lisa Culver, PT, DPT, MBA, senior specialist, APTA department of clinical practice.

Comments

Thanks for this opportunity. I have forwarded this to an associate as well, Dr. Elizabeth Perkins who specialized in Development Disabilities.

Posted by Celinda P. Evitt, PT, PhD on 4/8/2013 5:14 PM
1. Barriers to walking: in majority of suburban communities, there are no safe walking pathways i.e. no side walks, no pedestrian signals at intersections, poorly marked or unmarked pedestrian crossings. Also we are all very much aware of the lack of reliable public transportation specifically in the suburban areas. The shopping centers though maybe close but no safe walking pathways deter walking and people use their motor vehicles to even get one single item. I do not believe that this is limited to the mentioned subpopulations but affects everyone alike.

Posted by Rita Shapiro, PT, MA DPT on 4/15/2013 4:18 PM

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