• Find People
  • Campus Map
  • PiratePort
  • A-Z
    • About
    • Submit
    • Browse
    • Login
    View Item 
    •   ScholarShip Home
    • Academic Affairs
    • College of Health and Human Performance
    • Health Education and Promotion
    • View Item
    •   ScholarShip Home
    • Academic Affairs
    • College of Health and Human Performance
    • Health Education and Promotion
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of The ScholarShipCommunities & CollectionsDateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeDate SubmittedThis CollectionDateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeDate Submitted

    My Account

    Login

    Statistics

    View Google Analytics Statistics

    The Meaning and Cultural Context of Physical Activity as Perceived by Physically Active, Rural African American Women

    Thumbnail
    View/ Open
    Lenkerd_ecu_0600M_10154.pdf (1.554Mb)

    Show full item record
    Author
    Lenkerd, Allison
    Abstract
    Background - The health problems of overweight and obesity are growing concerns in the United States and in many parts of the world. At the time of this study, African American women had the highest mortality and obesity rates of any other racial/ethnic group in this country, and the highest level of physical inactivity (CDC, 2008; OMHRC, 2007). Research has suggested that despite African American women's awareness of the benefits of physical activity their rates of physical activity have remained low. A need existed to understand how physically active African American women, particularly those who resided in a rural area, perceived and experienced physical activity.   Objective - The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the meaning and cultural context of physical activity among physically active, rural African American women, and to understand how they related physical activity and overweight to their health status.    Methodology - To achieve this purpose, the researcher conducted 4 in-depth, open-   ended focus group interviews in North Carolina. A qualitative methodology using   a phenomenological approach enabled the researcher to better understand the meaning and sociocultural influences that the participants associated with physical activity participation.  Analysis of verbatim transcriptions of the focus group interviews involved immersion, coding, categorizing, and identifying themes that emerged from the data.    Results - Several primary themes emerged from the data from this study that revelaed the participants experience of physical activity. These themes included perceptions of personal health, the evolution of physical activity, body image and overweight, social support, barriers, societal views of African American health status, and health related education. This chapter explored themes and various subthemes in order to get a more in-depth view of the participants' experience of physical activity, and definitions of physical activity and overweight as they relate to health in the minds of the participants.    Conclusion - Health education programming aimed at this target population group must recognize several factors in order to provide culturally appropriate programs: the motivating factors of this population group; the association between size, overweight and health; their perception of what types of physical activities are appropriate; their support needs; the barriers that they face. In addition, it is important to provide education regarding their risks as well as information on how to get the information that they need to address these risks from their medical provider.  
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10342/2814
    Subject
     Education, Health; Kinesiology; African American studies 
    Date
    2010
    Citation:
    APA:
    Lenkerd, Allison. (January 2010). The Meaning and Cultural Context of Physical Activity as Perceived by Physically Active, Rural African American Women (Master's Thesis, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship. (http://hdl.handle.net/10342/2814.)

    Display/Hide MLA, Chicago and APA citation formats.

    MLA:
    Lenkerd, Allison. The Meaning and Cultural Context of Physical Activity as Perceived by Physically Active, Rural African American Women. Master's Thesis. East Carolina University, January 2010. The Scholarship. http://hdl.handle.net/10342/2814. August 10, 2022.
    Chicago:
    Lenkerd, Allison, “The Meaning and Cultural Context of Physical Activity as Perceived by Physically Active, Rural African American Women” (Master's Thesis., East Carolina University, January 2010).
    AMA:
    Lenkerd, Allison. The Meaning and Cultural Context of Physical Activity as Perceived by Physically Active, Rural African American Women [Master's Thesis]. Greenville, NC: East Carolina University; January 2010.
    Collections
    • Health Education and Promotion
    • Master's Theses
    Publisher
    East Carolina University

    xmlui.ArtifactBrowser.ItemViewer.elsevier_entitlement

    East Carolina University has created ScholarShip, a digital archive for the scholarly output of the ECU community.

    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Send Feedback