Abstract
BackgroundCombating the physical inactivity crisis and improving health and quality of life is a challenge and a public health priority, especially in underserved populations. A key role of public health consists of informing, educating, and empowering individuals and communities about health issues. Researchers have found that mass communication messages often have limited effectiveness in reaching and impacting the health of underserved populations. The present pilot study was designed to explore perceptions of older African American women (AAW) in response to widely disseminated public information pertaining to physical activity (PA) and aging.MethodsA total of 10 older AAW aged 60 years and over participated in this study. Participants were evenly assigned in one of the 2 focus groups (i.e. active, n = 5; and inactive, n = 5) based on their PA level. The focus group approach was employed to gather information about widely available public information materials related to PA that target the adult and older adult population. The three guides used were: (1) Exercise and Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide; (2) The Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults; and (3) Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults. NVIVO 10 software was used to help in the qualitative data analysis. Descriptive thematic analysis was employed in identifying, analyzing and reporting patterns/themes within the data.ResultsOlder AAW in the present study identified some shortcomings in current public health materials. Participants from both focus groups raised concerns regarding language and the types of activities used as examples in the materials. After analysis, two themes emerged: “We may have trouble in reading it” and “It does not reflect us”. Participants’ evaluation was found to be similar between the active and inactive focus groups.ConclusionsOlder AAW’s perceptions of the materials suggest that materials intended to educate and motivate the general public towards PA need to be modified to better speak to older African American women, especially to those who are sedentary and have difficulty in building PA into their daily lives.
Highlights
Combating the physical inactivity crisis and improving health and quality of life is a challenge and a public health priority, especially in underserved populations
These factors may be working as a barrier that detracts from an individual’s understanding and appreciation of the content. Since these informational materials are used to inform the general public about physical activity (PA) and exercise and to empower them through knowledge, the purpose may not be being achieved
The current study explored perceptions and reactions of older American women (AAW) to widely disseminated public information pertaining to PA promotion and aging
Summary
Combating the physical inactivity crisis and improving health and quality of life is a challenge and a public health priority, especially in underserved populations. Researchers have found that mass communication messages often have limited effectiveness in reaching and impacting the health of underserved populations. The present pilot study was designed to explore perceptions of older African American women (AAW) in response to widely disseminated public information pertaining to physical activity (PA) and aging. In the United States, older African American women (AAW; those aged 60 years and over) are prone for physical inactivity [1, 2] and resultant chronic diseases [3,4,5]. Factors positively impacting PA behavior include but it is not limited to health, availability of community resources, green areas nearby, and pursuit of better health [6,7,8].
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