Project Summary/Abstract
Physical inactivity is associated with poor asthma control and quality of life, and greater health care utilization.
Rates of physical inactivity, asthma, and asthma mortality among African American (AA) women are higher
than those of their White counterparts. Our formative work identified barriers to PA among African American
women with asthma including a lack of social support, self-efficacy, unsafe neighborhood and fear related to
experiences with life-threatening asthma exacerbations. Given the unique barriers to PA and high rates of
physical inactivity that are associated with poor asthma outcomes in African American women, there is an
urgent need to optimize PA interventions for this population. The proposed study uses our theory-driven
intervention (ACTION: A lifestyle physiCal acTivity Intervention for minOrity womeN with asthma) to
deliver a 24-week lifestyle physical activity intervention designed for and by urban AA women with asthma.
Participants will be recruited through two urban health care systems that care for a diverse urban AA
population. Patients will be randomized to one of two groups: 1) ACTION intervention (group sessions,
physical activity self-monitoring and text-based support for goal-setting), or 2) education control (an individual
asthma education session and text messages related to asthma education). Participants will be followed for an
additional 24-weeks after the intervention to assess for the maintenance of intervention effects on asthma
health outcomes. We are proposing an efficacy study that focuses on asthma outcomes (Aim 1A/B), explores
behavioral mechanisms of the intervention (Aim 2) and assesses factors that influence its reach and
implementation potential (Aim 3). This trial will provide the first ever evidence of the efficacy of a lifestyle
physical activity intervention among urban AA women with asthma, a population that is understudied yet
plagued by low levels of PA and poor health outcomes. Our study has high potential to advance clinical
treatment of asthma, and further the mechanistic understanding of physical activity interventions in minority
populations living in low-resourced urban environments.
