The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59672

Carolyn C Voorhees, PhD, Department of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland, 2312 HHP, College Park, MD 20742, 301-405-2253, ccv@wam.umd.edu and Deborah Rohm Young, PhD, Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, HHP, College Park, MD 20742.

Background: Nationwide, Hispanic women report low levels of physical activity and bear excess health risk associated with inactivity. This study investigated the relationship between sociodemographic, social and physical environmental factors and physical activity levels. Methods: A convenience sample of 285 Hispanic/Latino women completed a face-to-face community survey administered in Spanish, which included demographic, personal, social and physical environmental items. Physical Activity items were from the BRFSS. Physical activity was categorized into: "Meets Current National Recommendations," "Insufficiently Active," and "Inactive". Results: The majority of sample (46%) was between the ages of 20-29, 48% had less than a high school education, 72% were employed, and 76% were from Central or South America. Physical activity recommendations were met by 37%, 23%were inactive, and 40% were insufficiently active. Personal and physical environmental factors were not statistically significant correlates of activity level. However, there were trends in the hypothesized directions. Social environmental factors that showed significant relationships with various physical activity comparison groups included: Women were significantly less likely to be active if they reported knowing people who exercise (OR=0.42; 95% CI=0.23, 0.76), reported that people in her neighborhood exercise (adjusted OR=0.19; 95% CI=0.09, 0.42), belong to community groups (OR=0.32; 95% CI=0.15, 0.69) or attend religious services (OR=0.41; 95% CI 0.41, .72). Conclusion: Social environmental factors appeared to be the most important factors related to physical activity in this group of young, Latino women. Physical environment and personal factors, while not significant, showed trends in expected directions and should be explored further.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives: The participant will be able to:
• Recognize correlates of physical activity and acculturation issues for Latino women.
• Understand issues potentially important for informing the development of interventions for Latinas.

Keywords: Physical Activity, Latino

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.