(PS1-D79) Black Older Adults’ Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

Introduction:  Physical activity (PA) is important for the physical, cognitive, and emotional health of older adults. However, disparities in PA exist between Black older adults relative to their white counterparts due to additional barriers to PA and behavior change, which may be exacerbated in the COVID-19 era. The current study sought to examine barriers and facilitators to PA among Black older adults to inform the development of a tailored psychosocial intervention that effectively addresses barriers, and leverage facilitators, to increase PA during COVID-19. 

Methods:  We conducted two 90-minute virtual focus groups (N=19) with predominantly Black older adults recruited from church communities around the Boston area and assessed barriers and facilitators to physical activity. We used a rapid data analysis approach with mind mapping to generate key themes within domains characterizing barriers and facilitators to PA. Members of the church community groups were then asked to comment on the developed mind map to suggest any amendments and/or correct potential misinterpretations. Results: We identified four themes related to barriers and three themes related to facilitators to PA among predominantly Black older adults. Barriers included: fear of COVID-19 infection and transmission, ongoing health challenges, insufficient social support, and discomfort with PA and low self-efficacy. Facilitators included: information and guidance, increased social support and accountability, and access to facilities and creative solutions for PA. 

Discussion:  Our findings parallel those observed in studies of older adults prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest that environmental factors were the most common barriers whereas social factors were the most common facilitators of PA. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for environmental and social disruptions that occurred during the pandemic to effectively improve PA among Black, older adults.