Experiences related to making healthy physical activity lifestyle choices during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in a Teesside-based adult BAME population

Abstract

AbstractStudies indicated that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of adult Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals lived a sedentary lifestyle, which exacerbated their physical inactivity behaviours during the COVID-19 subsequent lockdowns. Experiences related to making healthy physical activity (PA) lifestyle choices in adult BAME individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic were mapped onto the capability, opportunity, and motivation model of behaviour (COM-B model). Twelve adult BAME participants were interviewed using one-on-one, semi-structured interviews that lasted 45–60 min, which captured participant perceptions of PA engagement during the pandemic between April and August 2022 via Microsoft Teams. Using thematic analysis, three themes were generated and successfully mapped onto the modified COM-B model. These include the influence of culture on the PA lifestyle, the capability to engage in the PA lifestyle, and the self-reflective determination model. Although existing literature has used both the COM-B and the self-determination models, these have been generalised findings that are not representative of adult BAME individuals’ lived PA participation experiences. This enabled the modification of the COM-B and self-reflective determination models to reflect the experiences of adult BAME individuals with respect to PA participation as well as improving PA culturally related policies.

Keywords

• Physical activity
• BAME
• COVID-19 pandemic
• adults
• COM-B model
• Joe Thomas, Institute of Health and Management, Australia