Physical Activity Participation among Caribbean Hispanic Women Living in New York: Relation to Education, Income, and Age

Abstract

Background: Inadequate participation in physical activity is a serious public health issue in the United States, with significant disparities among population groups. In particular, there is a scarcity of information about physical activity among Caribbean Hispanics, a group on the rise. Methods: Our goal was to accumulate data on physical activity among Caribbean Hispanic women living in New York and determine the relation between physical activity and age, marital status, education, income, primary language, and children in the household. To this end, a survey adapted from the National Health Interview Survey of the National Center for Health Statistics assessing type, frequency, and duration of physical activity was administered. Results: There were 318 self-identified Hispanic women who participated. Total activity time, mean 385 Ϯ 26 minutes, and education (r ϭ 0.14, p Ͻ 0.01) were significantly related. Women who had attended some college had greater total activity time than those with some high school education (p ϭ 0.046) or Ͻ 8th grade education (p ϭ 0.022). Walking as a form of transportation was the most frequent pursuit, 285 Ϯ 21 minutes. Age (r ϭ Ϫ0.34, p Ͻ 0.001) and education (r ϭ 0.25, p Ͻ 0.001) correlated with nonwalking activity time (leisure time). Nonwalking activity times were greater in younger, that is, 18-29 years (p Ͻ 0.001) and college-educated women (p Ͻ 0.001). Physical activity recommendations were met by 11%; and 17% reported no physical activity. Conclusions: Among Caribbean Hispanic women living in New York City, the current recommendations for physical activity are met by 11%, and physical activity and education are significantly related. Our observation that education is a critical factor related to physical activity suggests that programs to address the promotion of a physically active lifestyle are needed.

Sociodemographic Variation and Its Relation to Knowledge on Physical Exercise Among Academic Staffs in Faculty of Medicine, Uitm, Malaysia

“…It was found that our respondents were having poor overall knowledge (77.4%) about physical exercise which is contradicted to a study done among New York Caribbean Hispanic women (Giardina et al, 2009). However, this finding is concordance to several authors which also found a higher rate of poor knowledge regarding physical exercise (Roos, 2014;Weiler, Feldschreiber, & Stamatakis, 2012).…”

“…In addition, a study reported that the medications used for diabetes, hypertension, and increases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) have an inverse relationship with vigorous physical exercise (Duncan et al, 2010). (Giardina et al, 2009). Thus it was expected that university academic staffs particularly in medical faculty and those working in clinical setting to have an awareness of the importance of physical exercise as well as possessing an outstanding knowledge regarding the physical exercise in terms of concept, types, intensity and its recommended duration of physical exercise as the medical personnel are considered to be the center of information on health and the frontline of community preventative health services.…”

Racial-Ethnic Disparities in Stroke Care: The American Experience

“…105 Among Caribbean Hispanic women in New York, level of education was also strongly correlated with physical activity. 106 The literature on awareness of stroke warning signs and risk factors has methodological limitations. In 1 study, use of closed-ended questions led to higher scores of knowledge than use of open-ended questions.…”

Feasibility and Efficacy of a Physical Activity Intervention Among Pregnant Women: The Behaviors Affecting Baby and You (B.A.B.Y.) Study

“…Hispanics are the least physically active ethnic group in the United States 22 and are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity; 23,24 at each level of body mass index (BMI), Hispanics have a higher prevalence of diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. 23,25,26 This is critical as Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States, with the highest birth and immigration rates.…”