The animadora project: Identifying factors related to the promotion of physical activity among mexican americans with diabetes

Purpose. There is a dearth of information about factors related to physical activity among Mexican-Americans with diabetes. Self-efficacy and social support are associated with physical activity; however, little is known about their roles within different cultural groups. Design. Focus groups were used to identify factors that motivated walking. Setting. Two Mexican-American communities located in Tucson, Arizona. Subjects. Individuals who attended diabetes education. Intervention. A community-based provider organized walking groups with people who previously attended diabetes classes. Walkers participated in focus groups exploring themes related to their experiences. Measures. Self-efficacy, social support, and collective efficacy. Grounded theory was used to analyze focus group results using two rounds of analysis; the first identified references to self-efficacy and social support, and the second added collective efficacy as a theoretic basis for walking. Results. Among 43 eligible participants, 20 participated in focus groups. Social support was expressed as commitment and companionship. Walkers demonstrated a high level of self-efficacy for walking. Development of group identity/social cohesion was also a motivator to walk. Collective efficacy emerged as an applicable theoretic model encompassing these themes and their interrelationship. Conclusion. Collective efficacy, or the belief that the group can improve their lives through collective effort, is a viable theoretic construct in the development of physical activity interventions targeting Mexican-Americans with diabetes.