Project Summary Engaging in muscle-strengthening activities has been linked with a reduction in all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and when combined with aerobic physical activity (PA) can produce greater health benefits (e.g., improvements in insulin sensitivity, HbA1c, and blood pressure) than aerobic physical activity (PA) alone; yet, only 13% of Latina adults in the U.S. meet the 2008 National Guidelines for both aerobic and muscle- strengthening activities. Most culturally appropriate interventions promoting physical activity in Latinas have primarily focused on increasing aerobic or moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA); thus little is known about how to promote muscle-strengthening activities in this at-risk population. The purpose of this study is to: 1) identify culturally appropriate cognitive and behavioral strategies associated with performance of muscle- strengthening PA, and 2) to develop a Spanish-language, theoretically-based (Transtheoretical Model) questionnaire for measuring strategies used to increase and maintain muscle-strengthening PA. We will conduct focus groups and structured interviews with Latinas (n=30) enrolled in the parent study, Pasos Hacia a Salud, to identify culturally and linguistically relevant cognitive and behavioral strategies involved in adopting and maintaining muscle-strengthening PA. An existing questionnaire for aerobic physical activity (the Processes of Change for Physical Activity) will be adapted for cultural, language, and content issues related to muscle-strengthening PA in Latinas using results from formative research. Cognitive interviews (n=10) will be conducted to enhance linguistic clarity and content of the measure. The adapted questionnaire will be administered to participants during their 6-month assessment in the parent study and correlational analyses will be conducted to assess predictive validity of the measure on self-reported muscle-strengthening PA from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questions on muscle-strengthening activity. Findings from this study can be integrated into future PA research to promote muscle-strengthening activities and help Latinas achieve the full physical activity guidelines (both aerobic and muscle-strengthening PA) needed to further reduce mortality and lifestyle-related chronic disease." |