Cultural Relevance of Physical Activity Intervention Research with Underrepresented Populations

Abstract

This paper describes cultural relevance in physical activity intervention research with underrepresented populations. Seventy-one extant studies which tested interventions to increase physical activity among underrepresented adults were included. Verbatim descriptions of efforts to enhance cultural relevance of study designs and interventions were extracted and then content analyzed. We found strategies to enhance cultural relevance of interventions as soliciting input from population members, linking intervention content with values, addressing language and literacy challenges, incorporating population media figures, using culturally relevant forms of physical activity, and addressing specific population linked barriers to activity. Methodological approaches included specialized recruitment and study locations, culturally relevant measures, underrepresented personnel, and cost-awareness study procedures to prevent fiscal barriers to participation. Most reported activities were surface matching. Existing research neither compared the effectiveness of cultural relevance approaches to standardized interventions nor addressed economic, education, geographic, or cultural heterogeneity among groups.

Cultural relevance in medication adherence interventions with underrepresented adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes

“…The coding items for cultural relevance were created differently from other coding items which were developed prior to retrieving studies. The process was based on similar work reported for cultural relevance of interventions to increase physical activity (Conn et al, In press; Conn et al, 2012). Cultural relevance characteristics were coded from studies in two stages to ensure that all relevant information was coded.…”

Promoting physical activity in socially vulnerable groups : a mixed method evaluation in multiple community-based physical activity programs

“…Furthermore, literature on culturally appropriate health and physical activity promotion offers several strategies to address socio-cultural differences within and between groups [90], such as soliciting input from population members, linking intervention content with values, addressing language and literacy challenges, incorporating population media figures, using culturally relevant forms of physical activity, and addressing specific population linked barriers to activity [91]. Our findings reflect examples of these strategies being used, except the use of media figures.…”

“…Lack of health literacy, lack of basic skills in reading and writing and different beliefs about health concepts across cultures may lead to difficulties in understanding and interpreting the questions [47,89], eventually leading to non-response [88]. Alternatives, however, such as translations, working with images or digital devices, suffer similar limitations [90,91]. During our study, we did experience a number of these barriers in data collection.…”

Zumba in the Postindustrial Midwest: Minority Women and Access to Physical Fitness

“…Earlier reports have also proposed that to increase the appeal of health promotion activities, activities need to be modified to the unique sociodemographic characteristics of the community (Kong, Tussing-Humphreys, Odoms-Young, Stolley, & Fitzgibbon, 2014) and cognizant of considerations such as time and financial restrictions (Conn, Chan, Banks, Ruppar, & Scharff, 2013). Earlier marketing research has also recommended that although intimidating for some (Miller & Miller, 2010), ideally, activities to increase physical activity participation among minorities should be group-focused, hands-on, purposeful, and inclusive of more than family and friends (Van Duyn et al, 2007).…”