Engaging With the Community to Promote Physical Activity in Urban Neighborhoods.
PURPOSE
To describe perceptions of physical activity, opinions, on intergenerational approaches to physical activity and a vision for increasing physical activity in an underresourced urban community.


APPROACH
Focus groups embedded in a large Community-Based Participatory Research Project.


SETTING
West and Southwest Philadelphia.


PARTICIPANTS
15 parents, 16 youth, and 14 athletic coaches; youth were 13 to 18 years old and attended West Philadelphia schools; parents' children attended West Philadelphia schools; and coaches worked in West Philadelphia schools.


METHODS
Six focus groups (2 youth, 2 parent, and 2 coach) were conducted guided by the Socio-Ecological Model; transcriptions were analyzed using a rigorous process of directed content analysis.


RESULTS
Factors on all levels of the Socio-Ecological Model influence the perception of and engagement in physical activity for youth and their families. Future strategies to increase engagement in physical activity need to be collaborative and multifaceted.


CONCLUSION
When physical activity is reframed as a broad goal that is normative and gender-neutral, a potential exists to engage youth and their families over their lifetimes; with attention to cross-sector collaboration and resource sharing, engaging and sustainable intergenerational physical activity interventions can be developed to promote health in underresourced urban communities.
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D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D001741:African Americans D000367:Age Factors D000368:Aged D003256:Community Participation D003159:Community-Institutional Relations D004644:Emotions D015444:Exercise D005260:Female D017144:Focus Groups D006293:Health Promotion D006304:Health Status D006801:Humans D007373:Interinstitutional Relations D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D012737:Sex Factors D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D013177:Sports D014495:Universities D014505:Urban Population D055815:Young Adult
physical activity intergenerational Socio-Ecological Model Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) qualitative methods underresourced community