Purpose
Low-income Appalachian women aged 40–64 years are an understudied population relative
to physical activity barriers. To inform a cardiovascular risk factor intervention
targeting this population through the West Virginia WISEWOMAN program, we determined
at baseline participants' perceptions about the presence of 6 barriers to physical
activity and respective differences according to stage of readiness for change (SOC).
Methods
Low-income women aged 40–64 who had participated in a state cancer screening program
were recruited through 13 clinics. Participants were interviewed at clinics using
a health risk/behavioral survey that included questions about barriers to and SOC
for physical activity. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured.
Principal Findings
Baseline screening was completed by 733 women; 84% were overweight (body mass index
[BMI] 25–29.9 [24.1%]) or obese (BMI ≥ 30 [59.8%]). The prevalence of barriers was
greatest for lack of support (52.4%) and lack of willpower (50.8%); lack of time was
reported by only 30.1%. On χ2 test, significant differences were revealed across SOC for time (p = .026), don't need more physical activity (p = .003), and willpower (p < 001); and for time (p = .006) and don't need more (p < .000) across BMI categories. Time increased from precontemplation (21.1%) to maintenance
(35%). Obese participants reported time less frequently (25.7%) than participants
of normal weight (40.2%).
Conclusions
Lack of willpower and support—not time—seem to be the dominant physical activity barriers
in the West Virginia WISEWOMAN population. Interventions targeting willpower in early
SOC and in obese participants may be promising toward increasing physical activity.
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Biography
James Rye, PhD, RD, is Professor in the college of Human Resources and Education at West Virginia University. He conducts research on problems that connect human and environmental health.
Biography
Sheila Rye, MS, is Clinical Research Coordinator for the Department of Orthopaedics at West Virgina University. Formerly, she was Research Assistant for the West Virginia WISEWOMAN project in the West Virginia University Department of Nursing.
Biography
Jay Coffindaffer, PhD, was a graduate research assistant for Community Health Initiatives while this research was being conducted. He is a graduate of the west Virginia University School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Systems & Policy.
Biography
Irene Tessaro, MSN, DrPH, is Research Professor with the school of Nursing at West Virginia University. She designs, implements and evaluates health promotion interventions in clinical and community settings.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 14,
2009
Received in revised form:
December 30,
2008
Received:
May 23,
2008
Footnotes
This research was supported by grant # 58/CCU322798 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
