Abstract
Postmenopausal women are at heightened risks for developing metabolic diseases (Dubnov, Brzezinski & Berry, 2003). Although regular physical activity (PA) can be a viable buffer against the onset of metabolic diseases, the best strategies available to increase PA rates amongst postmenopausal women still remain unclear (Teoman, Öczan & Acar, 2004). Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine what physical and environmental: barriers, strategies and outcomes affect motives to increase PA rates among postmenopausal women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 postmenopausal women who had completed a 12-week structured exercise program, to understand the factors that influenced their motives for PA. Double coding and inductive content analyses of interview transcripts yielded emergent themes stemming from Social Cognitive Theory constructs. Though weather related barriers significantly deterred PA participation, self-regulatory strategies such as using logsheets, self-talk and at-home exercise equipment enhanced participants' motivation to overcome such barriers and remain active. Enhanced levels of self-efficacy emerged as the women explained how they had coped with barriers and realized effective solutions tailored to their unique preferences and contexts. These main findings suggest that tailoring interventions to the environmental and motivational needs of participants can influence health outcomes of at-risk populations, specifically postmenopausal women.
