Factors affecting physical activity behavior in urban adults with arthritis who are predominantly African-American and female.
OBJECTIVE
Physical activity and exercise play a critical role in the management of arthritis. Understanding the factors affecting physical activity and exercise behavior is a necessary first step toward identifying the needs of, and intervention strategies for, people with arthritis. The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting physical activity and exercise behavior in urban subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
Seventy-two consecutive subjects were recruited from the rheumatology clinic at a large urban public hospital. The sample was predominantly African American (92%), female (87%), and not working (90%). The subjects' average age was 60.9 years (SD=13.9, range=30-90).


METHODS
Time per day spent sitting or lying down and time per week spent in exercise, leisure, and household activities were determined by individual interview. Self-efficacy, outcome expectations, disability, pain, body mass index, and social support were measured as possible explanatory factors.


RESULTS
The average daily total activity time was 3.1 hours. Household and leisure activities accounted for 85% of that time. Explanatory factors for physical activity behavior were not the same for subjects with OA and RA, despite similar between-group characteristics. Self-efficacy was present in all of the significant explanatory models.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that factors that affect physical activity behavior among urban and predominantly African-American adults are dependent upon the type of physical activity and are different for people with OA and RA. Self-efficacy was the most consistent explanatory factor.
Division of Physical Therapy, Dept. of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, 1441 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. brenda.greene@emory.edu
Brenda L
BL
Greene
Gina F
GF
Haldeman
Ashley
A
Kaminski
Kerryn
K
Neal
S Sam
SS
Lim
Doyt L
DL
Conn
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044383:Black People; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health; D014505:Urban Population; D001741:Black or African American