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Physically active, low-income African American women: an exploration of activity maintenance in the context of sociodemographic factors associated with inactivity.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Harley, AE; Rice, J; Walker, R; Strath, SJ; Quintiliani, LM; Bennett, GG
Published in: Women & health
January 2014

Increasing physical activity among low-income African American women is an important target for addressing racial and economic disparities in chronic conditions and related risk factors. While barriers to physical activity for women have been examined empirically, successful strategies for navigating those barriers among physically active, low-income women have not been thoroughly explored. Informed by grounded theory, we conducted in-depth individual interviews between 2007-2010 with 14 low-income African American women who were physically active at nationally recommended levels for one year or more. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis techniques. Key themes emerged in three main categories: motivation for maintaining active lifestyle, strategies for maintaining physical activity, and challenges to maintaining physical activity. Important motivations included getting or staying healthy, social connections, and gratification. Two planning strategies emerged: flexibility and freedom. Critical challenges included financial constraints, physical strain and history of sedentary relapse. The motivations, strategies and challenges reported by low-income African American women who successfully maintained an active lifestyle provided important information for developing effective health promotion strategies for their inactive and underactive counterparts. A qualitative, asset-based approach to physical activity research contributes rich data to bridge the gap between epidemiological knowledge and community health improvement.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Women & health

DOI

EISSN

1541-0331

ISSN

0363-0242

Publication Date

January 2014

Volume

54

Issue

4

Start / End Page

354 / 372

Related Subject Headings

  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Social Support
  • Qualitative Research
  • Public Health
  • Poverty
  • Motivation
  • Middle Aged
  • Life Style
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Income
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Harley, A. E., Rice, J., Walker, R., Strath, S. J., Quintiliani, L. M., & Bennett, G. G. (2014). Physically active, low-income African American women: an exploration of activity maintenance in the context of sociodemographic factors associated with inactivity. Women & Health, 54(4), 354–372. https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2014.896440
Harley, Amy E., Jessica Rice, Renee Walker, Scott J. Strath, Lisa M. Quintiliani, and Gary G. Bennett. “Physically active, low-income African American women: an exploration of activity maintenance in the context of sociodemographic factors associated with inactivity.Women & Health 54, no. 4 (January 2014): 354–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2014.896440.
Harley AE, Rice J, Walker R, Strath SJ, Quintiliani LM, Bennett GG. Physically active, low-income African American women: an exploration of activity maintenance in the context of sociodemographic factors associated with inactivity. Women & health. 2014 Jan;54(4):354–72.
Harley, Amy E., et al. “Physically active, low-income African American women: an exploration of activity maintenance in the context of sociodemographic factors associated with inactivity.Women & Health, vol. 54, no. 4, Jan. 2014, pp. 354–72. Epmc, doi:10.1080/03630242.2014.896440.
Harley AE, Rice J, Walker R, Strath SJ, Quintiliani LM, Bennett GG. Physically active, low-income African American women: an exploration of activity maintenance in the context of sociodemographic factors associated with inactivity. Women & health. 2014 Jan;54(4):354–372.

Published In

Women & health

DOI

EISSN

1541-0331

ISSN

0363-0242

Publication Date

January 2014

Volume

54

Issue

4

Start / End Page

354 / 372

Related Subject Headings

  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Social Support
  • Qualitative Research
  • Public Health
  • Poverty
  • Motivation
  • Middle Aged
  • Life Style
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Income