Facilitators and barriers to physical activity for people of Pacific heritage

Abstract

This research explored the facilitators and barriers to physical activity engagement for people of Pacific Island heritage. From an experiential constructionist position, we inductively applied thematic analysis to data collected via individual fully transcribed semi-interviews. Participants were five academics or tutors of Pacific Island descent interested in physical activity for Pacific peoples. The themes developed were: Centrality of community, Physical activity is something you do and It depends on the ‘environment’. Centrality of community was a prominent theme that spoke to the high value placed on collectivism and communitarianism by Pacific communities, which may limit individual choices of physical activity participation. Such collective principles may, however, facilitate physical activity through collective responsibility for all to engage in health endeavours. Optimal facilitators of physical activity may be (i) mobilising a community response to participation in physical activity by motivating through improved understanding of the health benefits of physical activity for the community as a whole, (ii) a response role-modelled and championed by community leaders (such as church leaders) and (iii) choosing activity programmes that are group- and community-based, fun and social occasions. Approaches that target the individual, both in health benefits and individually based activities, may be less successful.