Barriers and Facilitators of Rural Women's Physical Activity

AuthorHossein Ashtarianen
AuthorSonia Ahmadien
AuthorFatemeh Rajatien
OrcidHossein Ashtarian [0000-0002-6014-110X]en
OrcidSonia Ahmadi [0000-0001-6426-664X]en
OrcidFatemeh Rajati [0000-0001-6426-664X]en
Issued Date2026-07-31en
AbstractBackground: A sedentary lifestyle is recognized as a leading cause of death worldwide. Providing sports facilities and programs for rural women is essential, as doing so can improve their physical and mental health and contribute to their social and economic empowerment. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate facilitators and barriers to physical activity among women living in rural areas of Kangavar, Iran. Methods: This qualitative study used a conventional content analysis approach. In total, 24 women, 12 men, and 3 local administrative managers participated in four focus groups conducted between August and September 2021. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, and data collection continued until data saturation was reached. Data collection and analysis were conducted continuously and concurrently. Results: The findings revealed that although participants perceived the level of physical activity among rural women as insufficient, they nevertheless emphasized its importance. Analysis of the interview data and codes yielded five main categories of barriers: social, cultural, personal, family, and environmental. Conclusions: This study underscores the need to develop tailored, multilevel programs that address social, cultural, environmental, and individual factors to enhance physical activity participation in this population.en
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5812/jhrt-157080en
URIhttps://brieflands.com/journals/jhrt/articles/157080en
KeywordPhysical Activityen
KeywordWomenen
KeywordHealth Promotionen
KeywordQualitative Researchen
KeywordRural Populationen
PublisherBrieflandsen
TitleBarriers and Facilitators of Rural Women's Physical Activityen
TypeResearch Articleen

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