Elezebeth Mathews1, J K Lakshmi2, T K Sundari Ravindran1, Michael Pratt3, K R Thankappan4. 1. Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India. 2. Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad, India. 3. Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. 4. Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India kavumpurathu@yahoo.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite the known benefits of physical activity, very few people, especially women, are found to engage in regular physical activity. This study explored the perceptions, barriers and facilitators related to physical activity among women in Thiruvananthapuram City, India. METHODS: Four focus group discussions were conducted among individuals between 25 and 60 years of age, in a few areas of Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation limits in Kerala, preparatory to the design of a physical activity intervention trial. An open-ended approach was used and emergent findings were analyzed and interpreted. RESULTS: Women associated physical activity mostly with household activities. The majority of the women considered their activity level adequate, although they engaged in what the researchers concluded were quite low levels of activity. Commonly reported barriers were lack of time, motivation, and interest; stray dogs; narrow roads; and not being used to the culture of walking. Facilitators of activity were seeing others walking, walking in pairs, and pleasant walking routes. Walking was reported as the most feasible physical activity by women. CONCLUSION: Physical activity promotion strategies among women should address the prevailing cultural norms in the community, and involve social norming and overcoming cultural barriers. They should also target the modifiable determinants of physical activity, such as improving self-efficacy, improving knowledge on the adequacy of physical activity and its recommendations, facilitating goal-setting, and enhancing social support through peer support and group-based activities.
BACKGROUND: Despite the known benefits of physical activity, very few people, especially women, are found to engage in regular physical activity. This study explored the perceptions, barriers and facilitators related to physical activity among women in Thiruvananthapuram City, India. METHODS: Four focus group discussions were conducted among individuals between 25 and 60 years of age, in a few areas of Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation limits in Kerala, preparatory to the design of a physical activity intervention trial. An open-ended approach was used and emergent findings were analyzed and interpreted. RESULTS:Women associated physical activity mostly with household activities. The majority of the women considered their activity level adequate, although they engaged in what the researchers concluded were quite low levels of activity. Commonly reported barriers were lack of time, motivation, and interest; stray dogs; narrow roads; and not being used to the culture of walking. Facilitators of activity were seeing others walking, walking in pairs, and pleasant walking routes. Walking was reported as the most feasible physical activity by women. CONCLUSION: Physical activity promotion strategies among women should address the prevailing cultural norms in the community, and involve social norming and overcoming cultural barriers. They should also target the modifiable determinants of physical activity, such as improving self-efficacy, improving knowledge on the adequacy of physical activity and its recommendations, facilitating goal-setting, and enhancing social support through peer support and group-based activities.
Authors: K R Thankappan; Bela Shah; Prashant Mathur; P S Sarma; G Srinivas; G K Mini; Meena Daivadanam; Biju Soman; Ramachandran S Vasan Journal: Indian J Med Res Date: 2010-01 Impact factor: 2.375
Authors: Pallavi Mishra; Tess Harris; Sheila Margaret Greenfield; Mark Hamer; Sarah Anne Lewis; Kavita Singh; Rukamani Nair; Somnath Mukherjee; Nandi Krishnamurthy Manjunath; Nikhil Tandon; Sanjay Kinra; Dorairaj Prabhakaran; Kaushik Chattopadhyay Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-01 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Deepti Adlakha; Mina Chandra; Murali Krishna; Lee Smith; Mark A Tully Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-04 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Andrea Schaller; Anne-Kathrin Exner; Sarah Schroeer; Vera Kleineke; Odile Sauzet Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2017-10-25 Impact factor: 3.411