Physical Activity Archives - Health Behavior and Policy Review

Socioeconomic Factors, Movement Behavior Context, and Self-reported Physical and Mental Health in Adults Living in New York City

An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Ryan D. Burns, PhD
Christopher D. Pfledderer, PhD
You Fu, PhD

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of socioeconomic factors, movement behavior context, and self-reported physical and mental health in adults living in New York City.

Methods:

Participants were adults from the Physical Activity and Transit Survey (N = 3811; 53.2% female). The dependent variables were items asking about the number of days the participant experienced poor physical and mental health. Independent variables were socioeconomic factors and items asking about the frequency of physical activity (PA) within certain contexts and rest/sleep behaviors. Weighted multivariable negative binomial regression models examined the associations.

Results:

More days of bicycling transit (IRR = 0.79, p = .001) and higher levels of household income (IRR range = 0.44-0.66, p < .025) were associated with lower rates of poor physical health. More days of poor rest/sleep (IRR = 1.05, p < .001) and labor PA (IRR = 1.10, p < .001) were associated with higher rates of poor mental health, and higher household income (IRR range = 0.58-0.65, p < .01) were associated with a lower rate of poor mental health.

Conclusions:

The strength and direction of associations with self-reported health varied according to PA context. Poor rest/sleep and low household income were strongly associated with both poor physical and mental health.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 10, Number 5, October 2023, pp. 9-24(16)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.5.2

Steven Rowe2024-01-12T09:56:45-07:00January 12th, 2024|Physical Activity|

Addressing Community Health Worker Wellness and Self-care: A Formative Evaluation

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Chelsey Kirkland, PhD, MPH, CHW
Jeffrey S. Hallam, PhD, FRSPH

Objective:

Community health workers (CHWs) experience higher than average risks for chronic diseases and poor health and are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to being from historically marginalized populations. Despite limited literature, these factors indicate a need for CHW-specific support programming for wellness and self-care. Therefore, we conducted formative evaluation using virtual focus groups (N = 5) using descriptive and interpretive qualitative research methods to inform a program called “HANS KAI.”

Methods:

The focus groups included CHWs (N = 35) and CHW supervisors (N = 5) to explore CHW-support programming needs and understand their perceptions of HANS KAI. Two moderators followed a semi-structured focus group guide with questions and prompts focused on 5 primary domains: (1) Intervention Initiation, (2) Impact of Agency Culture, (3) HANS KAI Meeting Details, (4) HANS KAI Meeting Topics, and (5) Intervention Incentives. Audio-transcribed data were aggregated and analyzed for each domain with inductive codes involving iterative cycles of descriptive and in vivo coding. Salient themes and sub-themes were developed based on the domains.

Results:

We developed 8 salient themes within the domains.

Conclusions:

Our findings reveal that CHW HANS KAI components reflect CHWs’ needs, may benefit CHWs, and provide insights into CHW-specific programming.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.3.2

Steven Rowe2023-08-19T15:38:25-06:00July 26th, 2023|Community Health, Physical Activity, Program Planning|

The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity and Related Health Outcomes: Where Do We Go from Here?

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A Fast Track article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
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Authors:

Emily Stevens
Paul Gallo
Jaimy Dyer
Ethan Balk

Objective:

COVID-19 has presented challenges to public health, including mental and physical health risks attributed to reductions in physical activity (PA) and social isolation that resulted from quarantine. Barriers to community engagement and PA have persisted. In this paper, we review the literature on behavioral changes associated with COVID-19 on aerobic exercise, resistance training, and related mental and physical health outcomes, including barriers to PA, to guide recommendations for post-COVID community-based exercise programming.

Methods:

We identified 63 relevant studies related to COVID-19 and PA (N = 22), aerobic exercise (N = 11), and discreet resistance exercise (N = 30). We reviewed studies while trying to focus on synthesizing the impact of the pandemic on rates of PA, barriers to PA, and resulting health outcomes to guide recommendations for post-pandemic community-based programming.

Results:

COVID-19 lockdown resulted in substantial reductions in PA, which led to increased risk for comorbidities attributed to inactivity and social isolation. Typical barriers to PA among adults were exacerbated with closure of gyms and balancing work and family care from home.

Conclusions:

We recommend moderate physical activity, such as walking and discreet resistance training, for community-based programming in a post-pandemic society. These modes of exercise address key barriers to PA among community-dwelling adults.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: hhttps://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_10_2_3

Steven Rowe2023-05-31T08:57:34-06:00May 31st, 2023|Community Health, COVID19, Physical Activity|

Educational Discrimination of Honor Culture Men and the Impact of Sports, Key Demographics, and Affiliations

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Rebecca S. Merkin, PhD
Sigmund Shipp, PhD

Objective:

We identified predictors of educational discrimination among all races with a particular focus on the understudied white male population that has a lower socioeconomic status (SES).

Methods:

Employment of Bourdieu’s cultural capital theoretical framework, HSLS data, and hierarchical regression modeling, underlie this study that explored predictors of educational discrimination.

Results:

Playing sports does not impact experiences with educational discrimination. The higher the SES, the less likely people are discriminated against overall (r = -.20; p < .001) and in honor cultures (r = -.30; p < .001), but not in non-honor cultures. One- versus 2-parent homes, and the number of children a respondent has had no impact on perceived discrimination. Across all models, black, LatinX, and students of other races experience greater educational discrimination than their white peers. Members of all races in honor cultures experience educational discrimination. However, this relationship is also moderated by SES in that lower- income white honor culture males experience greater educational discrimination than their higher- income counterparts.

Conclusions:

Findings indicate that low SES is prominent in educational discrimination; consequently, inclusion programs to increase educational opportunities, as identified in Healthy People 2030, to help children and adolescents do well in school are warranted.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 9, Number 4, July 2022, pp. 961-971(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.9.4.4

Steven Rowe2022-08-20T09:52:31-06:00August 20th, 2022|Physical Activity, Youth|

Non-profit Coordinated School Health Program Achieves Student Outcomes in Both Beginning and Experienced Schools

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Deana A. Hildebrand, PhD, RD
Jeremy Humphrey, MS
Lindsi Lemons, MPH

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of an ongoing health promotion program to sustain student outcomes over an extended period, and to determine if student outcomes are affected by the schools’ duration of program participation.

Methods:

The repeat- measures study used secondary data from Healthy Schools Oklahoma for School Years 2016-2019. FITNESSGRAM^® assessed changes in student fitness levels (N = 12,219); an electronic health survey assessed changes in knowledge and behaviors (N = 6840). McNemar tests examined change in the proportion of students reaching the healthy fitness zone (HFZ) for 6 FITNESSGRAM^® tests, and the proportion of students with accurate knowledge or meeting dietary and physical activity recommendations. Poisson regression tested for change in student outcomes based on duration of program participation.

Results:

The proportion of students reaching HFZ increased for 5 of 6 fitness tests (p ≤ .004) and with accurate nutrition and physical education knowledge (p ≤ .009). We found statistically significant main effects for outcomes (p ≤ .016) and duration (p ≤ .030); there was no effect for the interaction.

Conclusions:

Students achieved similar gains in outcomes regardless of the schools’ duration of program participation.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 9, Number 2, March 2022, pp. 765-775(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.9.2.4

Steven Rowe2022-03-30T22:10:15-06:00March 30th, 2022|Nutrition, Physical Activity, School Health|

High School Students Voice Regarding School-based Physical Activity: Perceived Barriers and Facilitating Factors

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Marie-Maude Dubuc, PhD
Seira Fortin-Suzuki, MSc
Sylvie Beaudoin, PhD
Félix Berrigan, PhD
Sylvain Turcotte, PhD

Objective:

To contribute to the development of tailored school-based physical activity interventions, in this study, we aimed to identify the perceived facilitating factors and barriers of high school students toward their physical activity in the school environment.

Methods:

A total of 139 students from 4 different high schools completed an online questionnaire comprising open-ended questions on their perceived facilitating factors and barriers toward their physical activity at school. Thereafter, 100 of these students participated in one of the 16 focus groups designed to deepen students’ responses regarding their perceived facilitating factors and barriers. Qualitative content analysis was performed to classify data according to the Social-Ecological Model.

Results:

Through questionnaires, students mostly identified intrapersonal elements as facilitating factors and barriers to their practice of physical activity, as opposed to institutional factors during the focus groups. Girls strongly valued the characteristics of the interventions and of the involved school stakeholders.

Conclusions:

Our results allow us to qualify the current understanding of high school students’ perceived facilitating factors and barriers toward school-based physical activity and strengthen the relevance of surveying students prior to the development and implementation of physical activity interventions.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 4, July 2021, pp. 331-341(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.4.5

Steven Rowe2021-08-26T16:24:54-06:00August 26th, 2021|Adolescents, Physical Activity, School Health|

Perceptions and Barriers to Physical Activity in Childhood and Adulthood Among Latinas

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Rosenda Murillo, PhD
Mariana Vazquez, BA
Isabel Martinez Leal, PhD
Daphne C. Hernandez, PhD
Qian Lu, MD, PhD
Lorraine R. Reitzel, PhD

Objective:

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify perceptions and barriers to physical activity in childhood and adulthood among Latina adults.

Methods:

We conducted 3 focus groups, 2 dyadic interviews, and an individual interview using semi-structured interview guides with 23 Latina women aged 21-35. A thematic analysis approach employing inductive and deductive coding was utilized to code, categorize, and summarize data into themes.

Results:

The themes that emerged focused on: (1) physical activity is enjoyable; (2) family influenced physical activity; (3) different lifestyle in the US influenced physical activity; (4) physical activity is important for health; and (5) responsibilities (eg, work, caregiving) as barriers to physical activity in adulthood.

Conclusions:

Perceptions and barriers to physical activity experienced in both childhood and adulthood should be considered in the promotion of physical activity among Latinas.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 4, July 2021, pp. 294-304(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.4.2

Steven Rowe2021-08-26T16:18:31-06:00August 26th, 2021|Hispanic/Latinx Health, Physical Activity|

Children’s Physical Activity and Screen Time during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Parent Perceptions

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Authors:

Amy A. Eyler, PhD CHES
Laurel Schmidt, BS
Alan Beck, PhD, CHES
Amanda Gilbert, MPH
Maura Kepper, PhD
Stephanie Mazzucca, PhD

Objective:

In this study, we explore parent perception of children’s physical activity and screen time during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.

Methods:

We interviewed 16 parents of children ages 5-12 years in the St. Louis, Missouri region using snowball sampling. We sampled from rural, urban, and suburban areas. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a priori and emergent codes.

Results:

The transition to virtual school and work transformed daily activities. Physical education requirements varied, generally perceived as not contributing to overall physical activity. Parents perceived the amount of physical activity as the same or increased but reported an increase in screen time. The physical environment of the home, yard, and neighborhood emerged as a theme as did the social environment for physical activity.

Conclusions:

COVID-19 stay-at-home orders created challenges for children’s physical activity. Results can be used to inform more generalizable studies and serve as a basis for creating better parent resources to support their children’s physical activity outside of ordinary school, sport, and community activity opportunities.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 3, May 2021, pp. 236-246(11)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.3.5

Steven Rowe2021-06-30T21:25:19-06:00June 30th, 2021|COVID19, Physical Activity|

A Pilot Study of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program in Elementary Schools: Be a Champion!

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

Justin B. Moore, PhD, MS, FACSM
R. Glenn Weaver, PhD, MEd
Beverly J. Levine, PhD
Camelia R. Singletary, MPH
Russell L. Carson, PhD
Michael W. Beets, PhD, MPH, MEd
Darla M. Castelli, PhD
Aaron Beighle, PhD
Russell R. Pate, PhD

Objective:

In the present study, we sought to determine if a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) delivered using the Be a Champion! (BAC) framework was effective in increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and decreasing sedentary time in elementary school youth.

Methods:

We implemented a CSPAP in 3 elementary schools to determine its effectiveness to youth behaviors compared to 2 control schools. Youth physical activity was assessed via accelerometry in spring 2015 and spring 2016 during school hours on school days. Implementation of the BAC components and youth behavior was assessed through direct observation from fall 2015 through winter 2016.

Results:

In a multilevel, mixed model examining the effects of intervention, we found no statistically significant effect of the intervention on overall MVPA. However, a significant increase in MVPA was observed among girls (but not boys) in the intervention schools relative to controls. No differences in sedentary behaviors were observed by group.

Conclusions:

CSPAP implementation may be effective in reducing sedentary time and increasing MVPA in girls, but not boys. Research is necessary to increase implementation dose and fidelity to best practices in physical activity promotion.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 2, March 2021, pp. 110-118(9)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.2.2

Steven Rowe2021-04-29T22:00:01-06:00April 26th, 2021|Physical Activity, School Health|

North American Jewish Day Schools’ Online Promotion of Physical Education

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available as a PDF download.

Authors:

David Kahan, PhD
Thomas L. McKenzie, PhD
Roman Fedoriouk

Objective:

Parents and other stakeholders regularly view school websites for important information including curricula. Over 300,000 students are enrolled in North American Jewish day schools, but little is known about schools’ online promotion of physical education (PE). We conducted a content analysis of the mention of various PE characteristics and their association with school characteristics.

Methods:

We systematically tallied mention of 7 PE characteristics and 4 school characteristics on the websites of 516 Jewish day schools located in 237 North American cities. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations were used to analyze proportions for each characteristic and associations among them.

Results:

PE and curriculum were the only characteristics mentioned on over 50% of the websites. The mention of 4 PE characteristics (health messaging, facilities, PE, curriculum) was strongly associated with the religious affiliation of schools. Specifically, websites of liberal schools and traditional schools were more and less likely, respectively, to mention the characteristics.

Conclusions:

The websites of Jewish day schools insufficiently promoted PE characteristics with large differences based on religious affiliation. Surveying school officials responsible for website content about their beliefs on PE generally and the appropriateness of websites for promoting it may help inform strategies for boosting its online presence.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review, Volume 8, Number 1, January 2021, pp. 28-39(12)
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.8.1.3

Steven Rowe2021-04-29T22:03:27-06:00February 22nd, 2021|Physical Activity, School Health|

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