Physical activity program for African American women with asthma
ACTION, A lifestyle physiCal acTivity Intervention for MinOrity womeN with asthma: From Efficacy to Implementation
This program offers group sessions, activity tracking, and text support to help urban African American women with asthma build regular physical activity and manage their symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11327365 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a 24-week lifestyle physical activity program designed with urban African American women who have asthma. Participants are randomized to either the ACTION program — which includes group sessions, self-monitoring of activity, and goal-setting text messages — or to an education control that receives one asthma education session and informational texts. The study recruits from two urban health systems and follows people for an additional 24 weeks after the intervention to see if changes last. The program is built to address barriers like limited social support, low confidence, unsafe neighborhoods, and fear of severe asthma attacks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adult (21+) African American women with asthma who receive care at participating urban health systems and want to increase their physical activity are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not adult African American women with asthma, those with medical or mobility limits that prevent physical activity, or those unable to attend group sessions or receive text messages are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase safe physical activity, improve asthma control and quality of life, and reduce emergency care for participants.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies show that activity programs with self-monitoring and social support can improve asthma outcomes, but interventions specifically tailored to urban African American women are relatively uncommon.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nyenhuis, Sharmilee Maria — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Nyenhuis, Sharmilee Maria
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.