Exploring trail use and the health of students at a university in Canada

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand trail use patterns and other factors that may contribute to the health and well-being of university students in northeastern Ontario, Canada. Students from Laurentian University (LU) were recruited to participate in an online questionnaire that was distributed via the REDCap software. The questionnaire included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Flourishing Scale (FS), and the Leisure Time Physical Activity Scale (LTPA). A total of 1,367 students participated in the study which represented approximately 15% of the student body. The findings indicated that students at LU had high levels of stress and psychological well-being. Students who used trails were significantly more likely to have improved mental health, physical health, and physical activity levels. The top two facilitators to trail use were nature appreciation and outdoor recreation and the top two barriers were intrapersonal factors and lack of knowledge. These findings have implications for health promotion opportunities involving outdoor environments, such as trails, at institutions of higher education.