title: An environmental intervention aimed at increasing physical activity levels in low-income women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regular physical activity is a health promotion and disease prevention behavior. Of all demographic groups, low-income women report the lowest levels of physical activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test an intervention aimed at reducing community environmental barriers to physical activity in low-income women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research design was mixed methodology: (1) quantitative (quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, cohort design in which no treatment partitioning was possible) and (2) qualitative (focus groups). The setting was a church-sponsored community center centrally located in a low-income urban neighborhood. The comparison group was recruited first followed by the intervention group to control for setting. The sample consisted of 104 women (comparison group, n = 53; intervention group, n = 51) between the ages of 18 and 63 years who were residents of neighborhoods served by the community center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No between-group differences were found for physical activity behavior. Significant between-group differences in cholesterol (P = .007) and perception of physical activity (P = .033) were observed. Significant intervention group increases from pretest to posttest were found related to advanced registered nurse practitioner support, friend support, and more positive physical activity environment at the community center. Qualitative data supported and enriched the quantitative data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical activity levels were not significantly different between the groups. In a sample of low-income women who have multiple barriers, improving attitudes, expanding their knowledge of community resources, and providing physical activity opportunities in their neighborhoods are important intermediate steps toward initiation and maintenance of regular physical activity.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA. bjspec01@gwise.louisville.edu
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Speck
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hines-Martin
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Stetson
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Looney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services; D004777:Environment; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires