Pilot Project, Year 3
Physical Activity among Women Incarcerated in Jail
Over the past 40 years, the US has experienced an unparalleled epidemic of incarceration. More than 9 million Americans cycle in and out of jail each year.
Although more men are incarcerated compared to women, the rate of growth for women imprisonment is twice that of men. Coconino County Detention Facility (CCDF) is of particular interest because it caters to the detention needs of a diverse rural population and provides an example of racial and sex disparities in Arizona Jails. Among women incarcerated in CCDF, there are high reports of anxiety and poor sleep quality.
A single bout of moderate-to-vigorous PA improves anxiety symptoms and improves sleep on the day it is performed. Despite these benefits, physical inactivity is one of the most common cardiovascular risk factors experienced by incarcerated individuals and 71% of women incarcerated at CCDF reported not regularly attending time dedicated for recreational PA (rec-time).
The scientific objective of the proposed mixed-methods, descriptive research is to estimate rec-time attendance and PA levels as well as identify facilitators and barriers to being physically active among women incarcerated in jail. Funding of this pilot project will allow preliminary research and may identify points of intervention to promote PA among women in jail facilities.
Motivating individuals to attend and be physically active during rec-time may improve health conditions among this population. Successful promotion of PA among this population may provide an opportunity to adapt the intervention to other jail facilities of which there are 3,200 such facilities in the U.S.
Funding: The study is funded by NIMHD/NIH U54MD012388
About the investigators
