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Ross C. Brownson, PhD, Jen Jen Chang, MPH, Amy A. Eyler, PhD, MS, Barbara E. Ainsworth, PhD, MPH, Karen A. Kirtland, PhD, Brian E. Saelens, PhD and James F. Sallis, PhD

Ross C. Brownson, Jen Jen Chang, and Amy A. Eyler are with the Department of Community Health and Prevention Research Center, Saint Louis University School of Public Health, St Louis, Mo. Barbara E. Ainsworth and Karen A. Kirtland are with the Prevention Research Center, University of South Carolina School of Public Health, Columbia. Brian E. Saelens is with the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Psychology, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. James F. Sallis is with the Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, Calif.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Ross C. Brownson, Dept of Community Health and Prevention Research Center, Saint Louis University School of Public Health, Salus Center Room 469, 3545 Lafayette Ave, St Louis, MO 63104 (e-mail: brownson{at}slu.edu).

Objectives. We tested the reliability of 3 instruments that assessed social and physical environments.

Methods. We conducted a test–retest study among US adults (n = 289). We used telephone survey methods to measure suitableness of the perceived (vs objective) environment for recreational physical activity and nonmotorized transportation.

Results. Most questions in our surveys that attempted to measure specific characteristics of the built environment showed moderate to high reliability. Questions about the social environment showed lower reliability than those that assessed the physical environment. Certain blocks of questions appeared to be selectively more reliable for urban or rural respondents.

Conclusions. Despite differences in content and in response formats, all 3 surveys showed evidence of reliability, and most items are now ready for use in research and in public health surveillance.

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