An Integrative Review of Self-Report Instruments for Measuring Physical Activity Among African American Women

Abstract

Lack of physical activity is associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease, the main cause of death in African American women. This integrative review aims to evaluate self-report instruments to assess physical activity in African American women, within the context of coronary heart disease. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PubMed Central databases. Only peer-reviewed studies (a) that included African American women and (b) that assessed the psychometric properties of physical activity instruments in the context of heart disease were included in the search. Initial search located 691 articles but only 7 studies were included in the final review. Of the 7 studies, 6 utilized a combination of self-report and objective measures. While most self-report instruments yielded modest validity and reliability, results were inconsistent and modest at best for African American women. Further studies are needed to identify psychometrically and culturally competent instruments for African American women.