Perceived benefits and barriers to physical activity among older Latina women

Evidence of the benefits of physical activity in the health of aging women continues to grow but questions remain about the factors that influence these women's ability to engage in this behavior. The authors used a qualitative design to describe the social and culture-specific perceived benefits and barriers to physical activity among 143 Latina women, ages 40 to 79. Content analysis of these women's responses revealed that perceived benefits (health promotion, physical fitness, improved roles) and barriers (time constraints of women's roles, personal health, internal and external factors) function as competing elements that may explain physical inactivity. Health care providers should emphasize overcoming barriers and promote perceived benefits as clinical interventions that may pose the greatest potential to increase physical activity among aging Latina women. This emphasis holds promise as a feasible and effective primary care intervention for achieving increased physical-activity-related health benefits.