African American Social and Cultural Contexts and Physical Activity: Strategies for Navigating Challenges to Participation

Abstract

We examined the influence of social and cultural contexts on participation in recommended levels of physical activity (PA) among African American women using a grounded theory approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus groups with 15 physically active African American women. Participants described social and cultural factors that served as challenges for participation in PA. Of particular importance, participants discussed their strategies for overcoming these challenges to initiate and maintain an active lifestyle. Strategies emerged to address three main areas: lack of PA exposure, PA norms and beliefs, and hair maintenance. Understanding contextually appropriate strategies to assist African American women in long-term PA maintenance will help inform effective health promotion efforts to reduce the burden of sedentary lifestyle and chronic disease in this community of women.

Barriers to Physical Activity Among African American Women: An Integrative Review of the Literature

“…The first theme was that participants did not engage in PA because they thought they received sufficient PA through their daily activities (Pekmezi et al 2013; Walcott-McQuigg and Prohaska 2001) or because they were unaware how much PA should be performed to achieve positive health benefits (Wilcox et al 2005; Pekmezi et al 2013). The second theme was that participants lacked knowledge on what constituted PA (Nies, Vollman, and Cook 1999; Wilcox et al 2002) or how to use exercise equipment/machines at the gym, which resulted in not attempting to engage in PA (Im et al 2012; Bopp et al 2007; Wilcox et al 2005; Harley et al 2009; D’Alonzo and Fischetti 2008). Interestingly, lack of knowledge as a barrier to PA was not explored as a potential barrier among any quantitative studies.…”

“…Participants reported that they did not engage in PA because they did not want to “sweat out” their hair style or because they perceived sweat as an irritant to their head/scalp. The cost and time associated with maintaining many AA hairstyles when being physically active appeared to compound this issue as study participants reported not having the time or monetary resources to have their hair professionally maintained on a more frequent basis (Harley et al 2009; Im et al 2012; Pekmezi et al 2013). Hall et al (2013) conducted the only quantitative study that explored hair concerns as a barrier to PA.…”

“…Participants in qualitative studies reported a preference for a fuller, more curvaceous body shape, and as a result, had no desire to engage in PA for fear of losing their current body shape (Im et al. 2012; Harley et al 2009; Young et al 2002; Sanderson, Littleton, and Pulley 2002). Women in several qualitative studies also reported avoiding outdoor PA because of skin allergies and/or discoloration (Wilcox et al 2005; Richter et al 2002).…”

Environmental and personal correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior in African American women: An ecological momentary assessment study

“…While results have been inconsistent overall, some research has found that individuals living in areas with fewer or lower quality settings for PA (e.g., parks, recreation facilities) and poorer infrastructure (e.g., sidewalks) engage in less PA than those residing in areas with fewer of these built environmental barriers (Mama et al 2015;Siceloff, Coulon, and Wilson 2014). Neighborhood social environmental factors, including crime-and trafficrelated safety concerns and unsupportive social norms, may also impede PA and promote SB (Lee et al 2011;Strong et al 2013;Harley et al 2009;Joseph et al 2015), as may insufficient positive social support or negative social support (Baruth et al 2014;Soltero et al 2015).…”

Nursing Assistants’ Response to Participation in the Pilot Worksite Heart Health Improvement Project (WHHIP): A Qualitative Study

“…Prior research has also noted social support is an important motivator for minority women (Zunker et al, 2008). As seen in prior research with African American women (Harley, Odoms-Young, Beard, Katz, & Heaney, 2009), we also noted that African American NAs were motivated when health outcomes (e.g., reduction of blood pressure) were linked to health behavior changes (e.g., salt consumed). Future research with this population should continue to use personally relevant motivators (e.g., health outcomes) and external motivators such as healthy food incentives and social support to provide initial and on-going motivation for behavior change.…”