Revista de Salud Publica
Volume 16, Issue 5, 2014, Pages 709-718

Gender and physical activity in Mexican women with experience of migration to the USA [Género y actividad física en mujeres mexicanas con experiencia migratoria a Estados Unidos de América] (Article)

Ruiz-Rodríguez M. , Arenas-Monreal L. , Bonilla-Fernández P. , Valdez-Santiago R. , Rueda-Neria C.M. , Hernández-Tezoquipa I.
  • a Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS), Bucaramanga, Colombia
  • b Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • c Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • d Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • e Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • f Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS), Bucaramanga, Colombia, Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Mexico

Abstract

Objective To analyze the influence of gender on the practice of physical activity, in women with experiences of migration to the U.S.A. Methods Qualitative design with methods based on grounded theory. The information was obtained through in-depth interviews of 19 women living in rural localities in the central zone of Mexico. Results Through this analysis, a core category arose: social criticism of physical exercise. The results show that married women do not perform physical exercise because, due social norms, it is socially frowned upon and men are responsible for making the decision to permit it. Gender, female identity, women’s role as subordinates to men, and social criticism are elements that contribute to understanding the lack of physical activity among these women. Conclusion We suggest that healthcare programs be designed to promote physical activity among adult women in rural areas, taking gender perspective and the population’s context into account. © 2016, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Transients and migrants Women Gender identity Motor activity Mexico (source: Mesh, NLM)

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology Interpersonal Relations exercise human rural population social dominance ethnology Mexico gender identity family size Family Characteristics human relation interview marriage United States Young Adult Humans Occupations migrant Interviews as Topic male Emigrants and Immigrants occupation female peer group adult Women Motor Activity recreation Culture
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84982238943&doi=10.15446%2frsap.v16n5.43047&partnerID=40&md5=72b5e6abe1c3dbaaff9d9c1c36305d05
DOI: 10.15446/rsap.v16n5.43047
ISSN: 01240064
Original Language: Spanish