Benefits, barriers, and cues to action of yoga practice: a focus group approach.
OBJECTIVE
To explore perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action of yoga practice among adults.


METHODS
Focus groups were conducted with persons who had never practiced yoga, practitioners of one year or less, and practitioners for more than one year. The Health Belief Model was the theoretical foundation of inquiry.


RESULTS
All participants acknowledged a variety of benefits of yoga. Barriers outweighed benefits among persons who had never practiced despite knowledge of benefits. Positive experiences with yoga and yoga instructors facilitated practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Newly identified benefits and barriers indicate the need for quantitative research and behavioral trials.
Department of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD 20742, USA. atkinson@umd.edu
Nancy L
NL
Atkinson
Rachel
R
Permuth-Levine
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008873:Mid-Atlantic Region; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010465:Perception; D010809:Physical Fitness; D004856:Postural Balance; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D015013:Yoga