Background
The National Women’s Health Information Center of the Department of Health and Human Services noted that physical activity could reduce the risk of both chronic diseases as well as premature death in women1. According to a recent CDC report women are less likely to be active than men and African American individuals are less likely to be physically active than their Caucasian peers2. This disparity in physical activity rates can lead to disparities in rates of chronic diseases and premature death.
Purpose
There is a gap in knowledge regarding the process of physical activity adoption and maintenance in general, and specifically, among African American women. A team of researchers is actively working to accurately understand the process of developing long-term physical activity participation in a population of minority women.
Capacity Building Goal
Develop culturally appropriate strategies to assist women in successfully initiating and maintaining a physical activity program.
Completed Objectives
- Completed initial interviews with a sample of physically active, African American women to gather accurate information regarding long-term physical activity participation.
- Developed a behavioral framework to explain how women adopt and maintain a physical activity regimen.
- Conducted additional interviews with lowincome, physically active African American women to expand the behavioral framework to include strategies for overcoming financial challenges to physical activity participation.
- Commenced analysis of interview data.
Timeline
June 1, 2007 – December 31, 2009
Funding Source
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Post-Doctoral Research Funds
- University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Institutional Funds
Institutional Partners
Center for Urban Population Health
- Amy Harley, PhD
- Jessica Bergstrom, MPH
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
- Gary Bennett, PhD
University of Illinois at Chicago
- Angela Odoms-Young, PhD
1 The National Women’s Health Information Center. (2008). Physical Activity. Retrieved January 12, 2009 from http://womenshealth.gov/faq/physical-activity.cfm.
2 The Centers for Disease Control. (1999). A Report of the Surgeon General: Physical Activity and Health (Adults). Retrieved January 12, 2009 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/pdf/adults.pdf.
