a Department of Sociology , University of California , Berkeley , CA , USA.
b Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health , University of South Carolina , Columbia , SC , USA.
Ethn Health. 2019 May;24(4):353-364. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2017.1351923. Epub 2017 Jul 14.
The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of the benefits of and influencing factors for neighborhood-based physical activity (PA), and elicit suggestions for increasing neighborhood-based PA among primarily Black residents living in lower income neighborhoods.
Eight focus groups were conducted in low-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods (n = 8) in Greenville, SC during Spring 2014. Using a semi-structured focus group guide with open-ended questions, residents were asked to describe benefits of PA, neighborhood factors associated with PA, and ways to increase PA within their neighborhoods. Trained research assistants transcribed audio recordings verbatim. Using grounded theory and an ecological perspective, emergent coding was employed to generate initial categories with open and axial coding used to achieve consensus on themes.
Primarily Black (95%), female (72%), and older (M = 61.5 years) residents (N = 76) participated in the study. Seven themes were identified across the three main focus group topics: physical and mental health benefits of neighborhood PA, safety/hazards and social factors as influencing neighborhood PA, and improving safety, structural opportunities, and programing support to improve neighborhood PA. Most participants reported walking within their communities, despite describing several community-level barriers (e.g. drugs, safety). Residents desired structured neighborhood-based opportunities for increasing PA, including walking tracks and walking groups, and reported social benefits to being active, including increased awareness within the community and trust. Participants conveyed that walking strengthened the social environment of their community as well as the health of residents.
Few studies of contextual factors and PA have focused on African-American, low-income neighborhoods. Despite diverse environmental constraints, residents reported walking within their communities as part of a healthy lifestyle. Social ecological interventions tailored to promote PA and reduce health disparities among residents of low-income communities should highlight neighborhood-based opportunities for PA, focusing on personal and collective social benefits of neighborhood walking.
本研究旨在探讨基于邻里的身体活动（PA）的益处认知和影响因素，并提出增加主要居住在低收入邻里的黑人居民参与基于邻里的 PA 的建议。
2014 年春季，在南卡罗来纳州格林维尔的低收入、以黑人为主要居民的社区（n=8）进行了 8 个焦点小组。使用带有开放式问题的半结构化焦点小组指南，要求居民描述 PA 的益处、与 PA 相关的邻里因素以及在其邻里中增加 PA 的方法。经过培训的研究助理将音频记录逐字转录。采用扎根理论和生态视角，使用开放式和轴向编码生成初始类别，以达到对主题的共识。
主要为黑人（95%）、女性（72%）和老年人（M=61.5 岁）（N=76）参与了研究。在三个主要焦点小组主题中，共确定了 7 个主题：邻里 PA 的身心健康益处、安全/危害和社会因素对邻里 PA 的影响，以及改善安全、结构机会和项目支持以改善邻里 PA。大多数参与者报告在社区内进行步行，但也描述了一些社区层面的障碍（例如，毒品、安全）。居民希望有结构化的邻里机会来增加 PA，包括步行道和步行小组，并报告了积极参与的社交益处，包括在社区内的意识增强和信任。参与者表示，步行增强了社区的社会环境和居民的健康。
很少有研究关注非洲裔美国人和低收入社区的背景因素和 PA。尽管环境多样，参与者仍报告在社区内进行步行，这是健康生活方式的一部分。针对低收入社区居民促进 PA 和减少健康差异的社会生态干预措施应强调基于邻里的 PA 机会，重点关注邻里步行的个人和集体社交益处。
