Health is Power: An Ecological Theory-based Health Intervention for Women of Color

Health is Power: An Ecological Theory-based Health Intervention for Women of Color

Health Is Power (HIP) was a community based health intervention designed to increase physical activity among women of color. It was funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The purposes of the study were (1) to determine whether a 6 month, group cohesion intervention is more effective for increasing physical activity compared to a 6 month, group cohesion comparison targeting improving dietary habits (2) to determine whether residence in a neighborhood supportive for physical activity helped women maintain their physical activity from 6 to , and (3) to determine whether this effect was transculturally replicable.

Objective Physical inactivity and poor dietary habits plague Americans as health challenges, with women of color most vulnerable to their detrimental effects. Individually focused interventions have not demonstrated lasting success, possibly due to the lack of focus on sustainable social and physical environment factors. Health Is Power (HIP) was a transcultural, community based, randomized controlled trial that investigated the effectiveness of a group cohesion intervention to increase physical activity in African American and Hispanic or Latina women in Houston and Austin, Texas and then tested whether women living in more supportive areas maintained their physical activity over time. Intervention development was guided by group dynamics principles anchored within an ecologic model. Women participated in three health assessments and a six month face to face intervention that included evidence-based behavioral methods - integrated into strategies to promote group cohesion - framed to account for environmental factors contributing to health disparities. Women participated in team building activities, environmental mapping exercises, and supervised walks or taste tests. Neighborhood contextual and environmental measures were measured to test ecologic factors that may contribute to behavioral maintenance.

Inclusion criteria:

• African American or Hispanic/ Latina
• Between the ages of 25 and 60 years old
• Able to read, speak, and write in English or Spanish
• Not pregnant or planning to become pregnant within the next 12 months
• Resident of Harris or Travis County, Texas
• Not planning on moving in the next 12 months
• Physically inactive or did not do more than 30 min of physical activity per day on 3 or more days per week
• No history of medical illness or currently taking medication (could have medical waiver from physician if did not meet this)
• Willing to be randomized to either a physical activity group or a vegetable and fruit group
• Available between 5:30 and 8:00 PM on meeting dates.