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Abstract #154696

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Tracy R. Nichols, PhD, Center for Women's Health and Wellness, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, School of Health and Human Performance, 401 HHP, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, 336-334-5389, trnicho2@uncg.edu, Amanda S. Birnbaum, PhD, MPH, Department of Health & Nutrition Sciences, Montclair State University, University Hall, 4th Floor, Montclair, NJ 07043, Sara Birnel, Public Health, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 411 East 69th Street, KB-201, New York, NY 10021, and Madhuvanti Mahadeo, DrPH, Department of Public Health, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 411 E 69th Street, KB-202, New York, NY 10021.

To meet physical activity (PA) recommendations, adolescents need to engage in PA during after-school hours as well as physical education (PE) classes. Community-based after-school programs provide an important venue for promoting after-school PA. Understanding program providers' perceptions of adolescents' PA is a critical yet neglected link in the design and delivery of such programs, especially among urban adolescents. Using semi-structured interviews with after-school program leaders (N=10) in NYC, this study examined leaders' perceptions of young adolescents' PA-related attitudes, behaviors, strengths, and barriers as well as the providers' own experiences promoting PA in their program participants. Providers reported perceiving primarily environmental barriers to PA for their participants, such as a lack of parks, safe places to be active, small living spaces, and limited school PE. Physical concerns such as weight issues and asthma were mentioned, but as secondary concerns. Adolescent attitudes, perceived by providers as resistant, apathetic, and lazy, were mentioned as significant barriers to promoting PA in after-school programs. Analysis of these barriers by both gender and social class revealed program providers' motivations to expose their participants to PA experiences that represent more middle-class PA (e.g. tennis and yoga) and a reluctance to embrace activities they perceived as “street” (basketball, hip-hop dance). Gender issues, in terms of perceived gender-appropriate activities and the use of co-ed versus gender-specific activities, were also prevalent. Results are discussed in light of how program-leaders' perceptions shape the context of PA for urban adolescents as well as the efforts of interventions designed to increase everyday PA.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

• summarize program providers’ perceptions of barriers to urban adolescents’ physical activity,
• explain how class and gender expectations shape PA promotion opportunities in after-school environments, and
• discuss how these findings can be applied in intervention development.

Keywords: Adolescents, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout