title: Older Ethnic Minority Women's Perceptions of Stroke Prevention and Walking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To inform the development of a tailored behavioral stroke risk reduction intervention for ethnic minority seniors, we sought to explore gender differences in perceptions of stroke prevention and physical activity (walking).
  
  
  METHODS
  In collaboration with community-based organizations, we conducted 12 mixed-gender focus groups of African American, Latino, Chinese, and Korean seniors aged 60 years and older with a history of hypertension (89 women and 42 men). Transcripts were coded and recurring topics compared by gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women expressed beliefs that differed from men in 4 topic areas: 1) stroke-related interest, 2) barriers to walking, 3) facilitators to walking, and 4) health behavior change attitudes. Compared with men, women were more interested in their role in response to a stroke and post-stroke care. Women described walking as an acceptable form of exercise, but cited neighborhood safety and pain as walking barriers. Fear of nursing home placement and weight loss were identified as walking facilitators. Women were more prone than men to express active/control attitudes toward health behavior change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older ethnic minority women, a high-risk population for stroke, may be more receptive to behavioral interventions that address the gender-specific themes identified by this study.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Ivy
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Health Unit, RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia.
authors.forename: Nazleen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bharmal
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Araiza
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Mignon R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: City of Los Angeles Department of Aging, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trejo
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: csarkisian@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sarkisian
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D010465:Perception; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013637:Tape Recording; D016138:Walking