Physical activity patterns in a diverse population of women

Background. Demographic and psychosocial correlates of activity in domains other than recreational activity have not been well characterized and may b e particularly relevant for health promotion efforts aimed at women. Methods. Cross-sectional relationships between recreational, occupational, and household/caregiving physical activity and demographic and psychosocial factors were assessed with a mail survey in a random sample of 2,636 ethni cally diverse women members of a large health maintenance organization, age s 20-65. Activity was assessed with a modified Baecke questionnaire that us es categorical responses regarding frequency of domain-specific activities to create four semicontinuous activity indices (sports/exercise, active liv ing, occupational, household/caregiving). Results. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the likelih ood of being in the highest quartile of the sports/exercise and active-livi ng indices, compared with the other three quartiles, was decreased among ol der, nonwhite, less well educated, heavier women who had young children at home, lacked motivation to exercise, and perceived external obstacles to ex ercise behavior. The odds ratios (ORs) ranged from 0.38, 95% confidence int erval (CI) 0.33-0.45, associated with low motivation, to 0.95, 95% CI 0.93- 0.98, associated with increasing body mass index. Social support and confid ence in one's ability to continue to exercise, even when faced with other p ressures and demands (termed self-efficacy), were associated with increased likelihood of high levels of sports/exercise and active living (OR = 2.34, 95% CI 1.83-2.98 and OR = 3.96, 95% CI 2.92-5.38, respectively). In contra st, the highest quartile of household/caregiving activity was positively as sociated with increasing age (OR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.16-1.42), Hispanic ethnic ity (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 0.55-1.01), being married (OR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.33-2. 18), having young children at home (OR = 6.99, 95% CI 4.33-11), and greater time constraints as a barrier to exercise (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.38-1.74) an d was negatively associated with employment (OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.30-0.47). Increased likelihood of the highest quartile of occupational activity was a ssociated with high school education or less (OR = 2.26, 95% CI 1.74-2.94) and current smoking (OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.23-2.23), while self-efficacy rega rding exercise was associated with decreased likelihood (OR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.61-0.96). Conclusions. These findings suggest that demographic and psychosocial corre lates of physical activity vary by domain and that initiatives to promote p hysical activity in the population need to take these differences into acco unt. (C)1999 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.