Populations at Risk Across the Life Span: Case Studies

Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity Among Pregnant Women Living in a Rural Community

  1. Elaine S. Marshall Ph.D., R.N.1,*,
  2. Helen Bland Ph.D.2,
  3. Bridget Melton Ed.D.2

Article first published online: 8 NOV 2012

DOI: 10.1111/phn.12006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Marshall, E. S., Bland, H. and Melton, B. (2012), Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity Among Pregnant Women Living in a Rural Community. Public Health Nursing. doi: 10.1111/phn.12006

Author Information

  1. 1

    Rural Health Research Institute, School of Nursing, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia

  2. 2

    Department of Health & Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia

* Correspondence to:
Elaine S. Marshall, PhD, RN, Professor & Bulloch Healthcare Endowed Chair, Director of Center for Nursing Scholarship, Co-Director, Rural Health Research Institute, School of Nursing – Box 8158, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460. E-mail: elainemarshall@georgiasouthern.edu

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 8 NOV 2012

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Keywords:

  • exercise;
  • pregnancy;
  • rural health;
  • women

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this research was to describe perceived barriers to physical activity among pregnant women living in a rural community.

Design and Sample

The project followed a simple descriptive design. The sample included 88 healthy pregnant women from a rural community in the southeast United States.

Measures

The women completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and an open-ended item seeking a description of personal barriers to engagement in regular physical activity.

Results

Scores on the IPAQ were generally equally distributed across categories of low, moderate, and high activity. A total of 42 barriers was described from 34% of the women. Seven themes emerged among the reported barriers: (1) symptoms of pregnancy, (2) family and childrearing activities, (3) lack of personal motivation, (4) time and employment demands, (5) perceptions of sufficient activity from daily life, (6) fear of injury, and (7) lack of a habit of activity.

Conclusions

Barriers reported by the rural women were similar to those identified in other settings. Some perceptions confirmed myths about the health value of exercise during pregnancy, but did not confirm barriers commonly cited or assumed for reduced physical activity among rural residents.

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