Physical Activity in Older Mexican Americans Living in Two Cities on the U.S.-Mexico Border

Gerardo Vasquez, Jennifer Salinas, Jennifer Molokwu, Gurjeet Shokar, Silvia Flores-Luevano, Adam Alomari and Navkiran K. Shokar
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Gerardo Vasquez: Department of Family Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
Jennifer Salinas: Department of Family Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
Jennifer Molokwu: Department of Family Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
Gurjeet Shokar: Department of Family Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
Silvia Flores-Luevano: Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de Mexico 06600, Mexico
Adam Alomari: Department of Family Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
Navkiran K. Shokar: Department of Family Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: Background: There is limited information on physical activity in marginalized older populations like that on the U.S.-Mexico border. This study aims to understand physical activity engagement among older Hispanics residing in two U.S.-Mexico Border counties. Methods: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to measure physical activity in El Paso and Cameron County, Texas. Physical activity levels were reported for vigorous, moderate, and walking met/mins. Adjusted and unadjusted modeling was conducted to determine county differences and sociodemographic covariates. Results: There were 784 participants and 92.9% were less than 65 years of age. El Paso participants reported a significantly greater natural log met/mins of vigorous ( β = 1.34, p = 0.000) and walking ( β = 0.331, p = 0.006). Significant sociodemographic covariates in El Paso for vigorous met/mins were gender (females β = −1.20, p = 0.003), having a regular doctor ( β = −0.779, p = 0.029), and acculturation ( β = 0.513, p = 0.019). Significant associations in Cameron County were having a regular doctor ( β = −1.03, p = 0.000) and fair/poor health status ( β = −0.475, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Level of physical activity may differ in older Hispanics by urban context on the U.S.-Mexico border. Future physical activity programs to promote physical activity should take context into consideration.

Keywords: physical activity; Hispanics; context (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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