physicAl aCtiviTy In minOrity womeN With Asthma Intervention

Asthma is a highly prevalent chronic disease that disproportionately impacts African American (AA) women. AA women have poorer asthma-related quality of life and higher rates of asthma exacerbations, healthcare utilization and mortality compared to Caucasian women. Further, AA women are less physically active than any other subgroup of adults, which may help explain the asthma health disparities, found between AA and Caucasian women. Physical inactivity among individuals with asthma is associated with poor asthma control and respiratory function, greater health care utilization, and poorer quality of life. Given the connection between poor asthma outcomes and physical inactivity, addressing physical activity (PA) among sedentary AA women with asthma is imperative. Physical activity demonstrated improvement in asthma outcomes specifically asthma control, quality of life and healthcare utilization. Despite these benefits, fewer than 25% of AA women with asthma engage in regular physical activity. The ACTION intervention: physicAl aCtiviTy In minOrity womeN with asthma is a lifestyle PA intervention refined to be applicable for sedentary AA women with asthma.