# Feasibility and acceptability of an online program to promote physical activity among black women

> **NIH NIH R33** · GRAMERCY RESEARCH GROUP, LLC · 2024 · $385,048

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Research demonstrates the health-related benefits of participation in daily physical activity (PA), including
prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Despite this knowledge, the majority of US adults, particularly
black women, do not achieve recommended levels of PA and, consequently, have higher rates of related
chronic disease. An efficacy study led by the proposed Principal Investigator developed and tested an in
person, 10-month group-based faith-integrated (FI) or secular (SEC) PA intervention, compared with a self-
guided control (SG) for black women. Both FI and SEC were superior to SG for increasing daily steps after 10
months, and FI was superior to SG for increasing daily steps 12 months post intervention. Barriers to program
participation noted by participants included childcare and work responsibilities and proximity to the group
meeting location. The 2018 PA Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report highlighted the need for
effective strategies to promote PA, including internet-delivered interventions which have demonstrated strong
evidence for effectiveness at increasing PA levels. Limited data exist regarding the efficacy of internet-
delivered interventions in racial/ethnic minority groups. Online delivery of our evidence-based program may
increase reach and address known barriers to PA program participation in black women. We therefore propose
to explore strategies for adapting the program for web-based delivery of the existing curriculum. R21 phase
aims are: Aim 1: Solicit input from individuals representative of the population of focus to inform the translation
of the FI curriculum for online use; Aim 2: Use the knowledge gathered in Aim 1 to adapt existing FI and SG
curricula for online use; Aim 3: Assess acceptability of the online curricula in an advisory group similar to the
target population. We will conduct focus groups with black women to understand factors that would influence
online delivery of the curriculum. We will identify a group of a 12 member advisory group to assist with
developing materials/strategies to adapt the curriculum for online delivery. In an iterative approach where
material is tested, refined, and retested until complete, we will engage the advisory group in feasibility testing
of the online curriculum. Data collected from the R21 phase will be used to inform the R33 phase that will: Aim
4: Conduct a randomized pilot intervention to field test the modified online curricula in a sample (n=60)
representative of participants who would meet eligibility criteria for enrollment in a full scale trial. We will
assess change in PA, acceptability of the modified interventions including intervention delivery methods, online
materials, recruitment, enrollment, and data collection methods, online engagement, and clinical markers of
disease. The proposed project is directly responsive to PAR-18-307. The intervention is informed by the socio-
ecological model and addresses PA at the intraperso...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10907019
- **Project number:** 5R33AG070657-04
- **Recipient organization:** GRAMERCY RESEARCH GROUP, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert Lee Newton
- **Activity code:** R33 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $385,048
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10907019

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10907019, Feasibility and acceptability of an online program to promote physical activity among black women (5R33AG070657-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10907019. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*