PURPOSE: to identify personal and environmental barriers for physical activity practice and the stage of change in residents of communes with three different socioeconomic status (SES).
METHODS:Cross-sectional analytical study. Three communes of the city of Santiago de Chile with high, medium and low SES were selected. The stage of behavior change was determined with the “Physical Activity Stages of Change Questionnaire” and the barriers for physical activity practice through the “Barriers to Being Active Quiz”. The precontemplation, contemplation and preparation stages were grouped as inactive state, and the action, maintenance as active state. The barriers were compared between communes and associated with the inactive state with a multivariate regression.
RESULTS:296 participants were surveyed, age = 49 (P₂₅ = 37-P₇₅ = 57) years, 60.1% women. In an inactive state, 48.5% in high SES, 60% in medium SES and 63.1% in low SES. The most prevalent barrier to physical activity according to SES was: lack of time for high SES (74.2%); lack of will for medium SES (62% ) and lack of resources for low SES (59.2%). The lack of skills is the only barrier that presents a significant difference p <0.05 among all communes, 31.8% high SES, 46% medium SES and 19.2% low SES. The lack of skills presented an OR 1.15 (1.02-1.31) p = 0.025 for the inactive state in a multivariate analysis.
CONCLUSIONS:the barriers to practice physical activity differ according to SES and can be a guide for personal and environmental interventions. Overcoming the lack of skills barrier could increase the active subjects.