Recommendations for a Culturally Salient Web-based Physical Activity Program for African Americans.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Behavior
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Limited research exists on innovative physical activity (PA) interventions for African Americans (AAs).
• Few internet-based PA programs have specifically included AA populations.
• Focus groups with AAs were used to inform the development of a web-based PA program.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the needs and preferences of African Americans (AAs) for a web-based physical activity (PA) program.
• To gather input for the development of the Physical Activity for The Heart (PATH) program.
• To identify key components for effective digital health interventions targeting inactive AAs.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative design utilizing 4 focus groups stratified by sex and age.
• Exploration of AA needs and preferences for PA resources.
• Inductive content analysis using ATLAS.ti 7.5.

Main Results:

• Focus groups included 16 women and 10 men (age 30-65), who were obese with below-average self-efficacy for PA.
• Key themes: need for relatable role models (similar age, ethnicity, body size), demand for flexible PA regimens (any time/setting), and age/sex differences in resource preferences (religion, music, intensity).

Conclusions:

• Web-based PA programs for inactive AAs should incorporate relatable models and flexible, tailored content.
• Intervention components addressing age and sex differences are crucial for improving uptake.
• A precision health approach is recommended for designing effective PA interventions for AAs.