A multi-solving approach to population health at the intersection of recreation, environment, and behavioral health
The Challenge
Iowa has among the highest rates of physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes in the country, and yet systematic data on the distribution of recreation and active living resources are scarce, and the relationship between access to parks, trails, and green space and behavioral health outcomes is understudied in rural Midwestern contexts. Physical activity is a 'multi-solving' candidate: it simultaneously improves physical health, mental health, and substance use outcomes across the prevention-treatment-recovery continuum.
Our Approach
I am building a statewide physical activity data infrastructure that includes a comprehensive spatial dataset of nearly 20 categories of recreation and active-living resources, ranging from parks and trails to basketball courts and urban ponds. This infrastructure will support novel research on the relationship between nature access, physical activity, and health outcomes in vulnerable populations, including people in recovery from substance use disorders. The work draws on spatial analytics, participatory community engagement, and public health methods.
Featured Work
- Statewide physical activity data infrastructure project, presented at the Active Living Conference (2025)
- Integration of recreation and active living resources into Recovery-Iowa.org, connecting people in recovery with physical activity assets in their communities
- ISU Station Director for the Multi-State Hatch Recreation Economy Project
- National training in human-centered design methods at the CDC-funded Active Living Conference (2024)
Funding & Partners
SAMHSA, USDA Multi-State Hatch, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.