Advisory Committee Chair
Dori Pekmezi
Advisory Committee Members
Laura Q Rogers
Kevin R Fontaine
Robert Ostler
Gregory Pavela
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2022
Degree Name by School
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) School of Public Health
Abstract
espite the strong evidence of physical activity benefits, the prevalence of physical inactivity and associated obesity continues to increase. Rural and cancer survivor populations with obesity, in particular, remain highly inactive and are at increased risk of comorbidities. Thus, physical activity interventions are needed to promote active lifestyles. However, before developing or adapting existing multi-level physical activity interventions, more research is needed to understand the necessary components to meet the needs and preferences of these unique populations. Therefore, this project involved identifying the gaps in literature followed by three studies to investigate the multilevel influences on physical activity in rural and cancer populations with obesity. This dissertation consists of three cohesive papers. Paper 1 is a systematic review of physical activity intervention barriers, facilitators, and preferences among individuals with obesity in rural counties. Paper 2 examined the associations between body mass index, physical activity, and related psychosocial factors among breast cancer survivors enrolled in a physical activity randomized controlled trial. Lastly, paper 3 assessed and described the built environment, programs and policies related to physical activity opportunity in six underserved rural Alabama counties.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Nashira Inika, "Multilevel Influences on Physical Activity Participation in Rural and Cancer Populations with Obesity" (2022). All ETDs from UAB. 202.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/202