PARCS: A Safety Net Community-Based Fitness Center for Low-Income Adults.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) and fitness are critical to maintaining health and avoiding chronic disease. Limited access to fitness facilities in low-income urban areas has been identified as a contributor to low PA participation and poor fitness. OBJECTIVES: This research describes community-based fitness centers established for adults living in low-income, urban communities and characterizes a sample of its members. METHODS: The community identified a need for physical fitness opportunities to improve residents' health. Three community high schools were host sites. Resources were combined to renovate and staff facilities, acquire equipment, and refer patients to exercise. The study sample included 170 members older than age 18 who completed demographic, exercise self-efficacy, and quality of life surveys and a fitness evaluation. Neighborhood-level U.S. Census data were obtained for comparison. RESULTS: The community-based fitness centers resulted from university, public school, and hospital partnerships offering safe, accessible, and affordable exercise opportunities. The study sample mean body mass index was 35 + 7.6 kg/m(2) (class II obesity), mean age was 50 ± 12.5 years, 66% were Black, 72% were female, 66% completed some college or greater, and 71% had an annual household income of less than $25,000 and supported 2.2 dependents. Participants had moderate confidence for exercise participation and low fitness levels. When compared with census data, participants were representative of their communities. CONCLUSION: This observational study reveals a need for affordable fitness centers for low-income adults. We demonstrate a model where communities and organizations strategically leverage resources to address disparities in physical fitness and health.

Experiential Learning in Kinesiology: A Student Perspective.

OVERVIEW: Service learning is a form of experiential learning that pairs academic educational experiences and community organizations to promote training, civic engagement, and meaningful service by students to their community. Kinesiology programs have moved toward increasing experiential and service learning options in health promotion for their students, but few have evaluated the student perceptions of these programs. PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to conduct a qualitative evaluation of a service learning course for Kinesiology majors located in a low-income urban area. METHODS: Ten recent graduates of a department of Kinesiology were enrolled in focus groups, stratified by gender, facilitated by a graduate research assistant not affiliated with their school. Focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed for themes. RESULTS: Nine themes were identified including: (1) Personal and professional experience, (2) decision to participate, (3) location decision, (4) self-efficacy, (5) perceptions of program members, (6) social interaction, (7) personal and program communication, (8) physical facilities and (9) program outcomes. Students positively evaluated the learning experience as valuable to their personal and professional development; noted changes in their perceptions of low-income communities and increases to self-efficacy and skill acquisition from the beginning to the end of the course; and observed significant needs and improvements in physical, emotional and social outcomes of community members. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated multiple and varied benefits of a service learning program for Kinesiology students. On-going evaluation of service learning programs in health promotion is needed to enhance student and community outcomes.