A variety of factors influences participation in leisure and recreation activities. These factors include gender, age, geographic location, socioeconomic status and health status. Some of these factors are as follows:
- Geographic location - environment that surrounds us, for example, if live near the beach then more likely to do leisure and recreation activities, related to the beach, as opposed to if you lived in a rural/remote location, the activities may be for example, horse-riding. It can also affect access to different leisure and recreation activities.
- Health status - chronic health conditions such as asthma would result in particular activities such as swimming - arthritis - may not be able to participate in activities such as, for example - individuals suffering from OCD would have particular routines in their day, which would impact on the leisure and recreation activities that could be undertaken temporary health conditions, such as a sprain/cold may result in leisure and recreation activities been more passive for a period of time. Disabilities such as blindness and amputation would limit physical activity and the leisure activities undertaken.
- Socioeconomic status - the amount of money an individual has -- impacts on the leisure and recreation activities chosen as many have high costs involved, e.g. tickets to events, membership fees, equipment and uniform. People from low SES are likely to participate in leisure and recreation activities however, ironically, they may have more leisure time available to them.
- Age - the particular activities that would be chosen to do, for example, at younger ages - more likely to be involved in physical activity as a recreational pursuit, whereas as age increases, activities may become more passive. Age also influences a person's interest in leisure and recreation, for example organised sport being a popular activity for younger people.
- Gender - sports having particular domination from either male/female (traditionally). Women stereotypically look after children, leaving less time to participate in leisure and recreation activities, and men working and impacting on their leisure and recreation pursuits also. Particular activities such as the gym seem to perhaps be more male dominated. Gender and culture, for example, women unable to participate in certain leisure and recreation activities such as Muslim women and swimming.
A variety of factors also create barriers to participation in leisure and recreation activities. These factors include physical barriers, sociocultural barriers and environmental barriers.
o Physical barriers - remoteness of location; physically unable to get to a location, for example, rural and remote not having access to beaches. Travelling time/ longer working hours; disability - a facility not having wheelchair ramps; lack of access to transport.
o Sociocultural barriers - feelings of isolation - being treated unfairly by members of activity and not wanting to participate; lack of confidence would impact on leisure and recreation chosen, for example if not confident with reading, would choose an alternate activity; lack of support networks - not being supported by friends and family regarding in leisure and recreation activities chosen; English proficiency levels - would impact on leisure and recreation activities chosen, for example not being able to read advertising for leisure and recreation in community, therefore impacting on identity within the community; living alone - decreased motivation and less contacts in the community to join particular activities; domestic duties - cultural activities impacting on time for leisure and recreation, socioeconomic status - unable to afford leisure and recreation activities; feeling unsafe in recreational spaces, for example particular environment.
o Environmental barriers - area that you live/work in influencing leisure and recreation activities, e.g. urban - many not have cycle ways/safe areas to exercise in/open spaces; rural area - may have lack of facilities, for example gym, movie theatre, etc.
- Geographic location - environment that surrounds us, for example, if live near the beach then more likely to do leisure and recreation activities, related to the beach, as opposed to if you lived in a rural/remote location, the activities may be for example, horse-riding. It can also affect access to different leisure and recreation activities.
- Health status - chronic health conditions such as asthma would result in particular activities such as swimming - arthritis - may not be able to participate in activities such as, for example - individuals suffering from OCD would have particular routines in their day, which would impact on the leisure and recreation activities that could be undertaken temporary health conditions, such as a sprain/cold may result in leisure and recreation activities been more passive for a period of time. Disabilities such as blindness and amputation would limit physical activity and the leisure activities undertaken.
- Socioeconomic status - the amount of money an individual has -- impacts on the leisure and recreation activities chosen as many have high costs involved, e.g. tickets to events, membership fees, equipment and uniform. People from low SES are likely to participate in leisure and recreation activities however, ironically, they may have more leisure time available to them.
- Age - the particular activities that would be chosen to do, for example, at younger ages - more likely to be involved in physical activity as a recreational pursuit, whereas as age increases, activities may become more passive. Age also influences a person's interest in leisure and recreation, for example organised sport being a popular activity for younger people.
- Gender - sports having particular domination from either male/female (traditionally). Women stereotypically look after children, leaving less time to participate in leisure and recreation activities, and men working and impacting on their leisure and recreation pursuits also. Particular activities such as the gym seem to perhaps be more male dominated. Gender and culture, for example, women unable to participate in certain leisure and recreation activities such as Muslim women and swimming.
A variety of factors also create barriers to participation in leisure and recreation activities. These factors include physical barriers, sociocultural barriers and environmental barriers.
o Physical barriers - remoteness of location; physically unable to get to a location, for example, rural and remote not having access to beaches. Travelling time/ longer working hours; disability - a facility not having wheelchair ramps; lack of access to transport.
o Sociocultural barriers - feelings of isolation - being treated unfairly by members of activity and not wanting to participate; lack of confidence would impact on leisure and recreation chosen, for example if not confident with reading, would choose an alternate activity; lack of support networks - not being supported by friends and family regarding in leisure and recreation activities chosen; English proficiency levels - would impact on leisure and recreation activities chosen, for example not being able to read advertising for leisure and recreation in community, therefore impacting on identity within the community; living alone - decreased motivation and less contacts in the community to join particular activities; domestic duties - cultural activities impacting on time for leisure and recreation, socioeconomic status - unable to afford leisure and recreation activities; feeling unsafe in recreational spaces, for example particular environment.
o Environmental barriers - area that you live/work in influencing leisure and recreation activities, e.g. urban - many not have cycle ways/safe areas to exercise in/open spaces; rural area - may have lack of facilities, for example gym, movie theatre, etc.