"We're Changing Our Ways": Women's Coping Strategies for Obesity Risk-reducing Behaviors in American Indian Households.
This article reveals women caregivers' perceptions and coping strategies to improve households' food and physical activity habits. Results emerged from the pre-intervention formative research phase of a multi-site, multi-level obesity prevention pilot intervention on American Indian (AI) reservations. Using purposive sampling, 250 adults and children participated in qualitative research. Results reveal that having local institutional support was a key structural facilitator. 'Family connectedness' emerged as a key relational facilitator. Hegemony of systems, food deserts, transportation, and weather were key structural barriers; Childcare needs and time constraints were key relational barriers. Women's coping strategies included planning ahead, maximizing, apportioning, tempting healthy, and social support. Findings informed the development and implementation of a novel obesity prevention pilot intervention tailored for each participating AI community addressing culturally relevant messages, institutional policies, and programs. We conclude with future consideration for comparative, ethnicity-based, class-based, and gender-specific studies on women's coping strategies for household health behaviors.
a Department of Pharmacy Administration and Allied Health Sciences , St. John's University , Queens , New York , USA.
Preety
P
Gadhoke
b Department of Health Policy and Management , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
Karina
K
Christiansen
c Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
Marla
M
Pardilla
d Carrey School of Business, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
Kevin
K
Frick
c Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
Joel
J
Gittelsohn
D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors
American Indian; coping strategies; households; obesity prevention; women