title: Redefining racial residential segregation and its association with physical activity among African Americans 50 years and older: a mixed methods approach.
abstract: Physical inactivity is one of the factors contributing to disproportionate disease rates among older African Americans. Previous literature indicates that older African Americans are more likely to live in racially segregated neighborhoods and that racial residential segregation is associated with limited opportunities for physical activity. A cross-sectional mixed methods study was conducted guided by the concept of therapeutic landscapes. Multilevel regression analyses demonstrated that racial residential segregation was associated with more minutes of physical activity and greater odds of meeting physical activity recommendations. Qualitative interviews revealed the following physical activity related themes: aging of the neighborhood, knowing your neighbors, feeling of safety, and neighborhood racial identity. Perceptions of social cohesion enhanced participants' physical activity, offering a plausible explanation to the higher rates of physical activity found in this population. Understanding how social cohesion operates within racially segregated neighborhoods can help to inform the design of effective interventions for this population.
authors.affiliation: Institute on Aging, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Janell
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Armstrong-Brown
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eng
authors.forename: Wizdom Powell
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bowling
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D063505:Racism / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States