Social Environments and Physical Activity Among Active Black Women

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) is crucial for health, yet maintenance varies among demographics.
• Understanding the social context of PA is vital for promoting long-term engagement.
• Active Black women's experiences with social support in PA are underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the social context of physical activity (PA) among active Black women.
• To examine patterns of PA engagement and the role of social support in PA maintenance.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study with a descriptive phenomenological approach.
• Online survey of 187 active Black women (ages 21-71) across the United States.
• Analysis of self-reported PA engagement, social support, and maintenance strategies.

Main Results:

• Participants engaged in PA alone (n=87), in groups (n=72), or with an individual (n=28).
• Social context themes: self-management (alone), motivation/accountability (groups), health values (family), shared interests (friends).
• Key subthemes: who provides support, types of support, and location of support.

Conclusions:

• Some Black women benefit from social support beyond family/friends; others prefer self-management.
• Findings inform hypotheses on social context mechanisms for PA maintenance.
• Future interventions should assess social support needs for PA maintenance in Black women.