APPENDIX F Interview Guide

Date:

Introduction

Hello, my name is Janelle Armstrong-Brown. I am currently a PhD candidate from UNC at Chapel Hill. You may remember participating in the ACTS of Wellness study at your church. I am calling because you said that you would be willing to answer follow up

questions. Are you still willing to answer questions? If no, then thank them for their time. If yes, then continue with the script.

By this time, I hope you have received and have had a chance to look at the fact sheet mailed to you regarding this study. Do you have any questions regarding this study? Based on the information provided, do you give your consent to participate in this study?

Answer any questions. If participant gives verbal consent, continue with the script. If not, thank participant for his/her time.

I am doing a small project from the ACTS study to understand more about your personal experiences in your neighborhood and church through 2 interviews. Today I want to look at how your neighborhood and church influence your life and your health. In the first interview, I would like to hear your description of your neighborhood and your church. In the second interview we will focus on how your church and neighborhood influence your health. This discussion will help me learn from you about your thoughts on this topic. This information will be useful in creating physical activity and diet promotion efforts that are designed for an older African American/ African American audience. I would like to tape record this

conversation so that I can accurately capture what you say. I will not use your name as we talk so that there will be no way to identify you on the tape. If you want to make a comment that you don’t want recorded, just say so and I will turn off the recorder until you are done. I would like you to share all your ideas and opinions. There are no right or wrong answers. This call will last between 60-90 minutes. I want to thank you in advance for sharing your experience. Do you have any questions? Is it okay to get started?

Background

3. How long have you lived there? How did you end up living there?

Daily life

1. I’ve never been to the area where you live, so I don’t really have an idea of what it’s like. Could you kind of take me through your neighborhood and tell me what it’s like, what I would see if I went to your neighborhood and walked around?

2. Can you walk me through your typical day? Tell me about the places you go to and why.

3. Tell me about the places that are important to you in your neighborhood. Why are they important? What goes on at these places?

4. If I were to come visit you, what aspects of your neighborhood would you want me to see?

5. What things do you like about your neighborhood? Why? What things annoy you about your neighborhood? Why?

6. Tell me about your favorite places to go? Why? 7. What are your least favorite places to go? Why?

8. How does it make you feel when you travel outside of your home? 9. Would you like to get out more? Where? With who?

10.Do you like living in this neighborhood? Why?

11.What types of interactions do you have with the people in your neighborhood? 12.How do community groups influence your life?

13.What types of activities do you participate in? Do these activities take place in your neighborhood? If not, where do these activities take place?

14.How do you feel your neighborhood impacts your health?

15.Is there anything else you would like to add about your neighborhood?

Church

Note: Religious and spiritual beliefs/practices include individual constructs such as personal faith, individual prayer, relationship/dialog with God, reading the Bible, counseling from pastor/priest or leader of faith and help or counseling by ancestor(s); and group constructs such as prayers from fellow church members and others, attending religious services,

meditation, finding and spending time at locations of spiritual energy (i.e., churches, specific geographical locations, or certain natural settings).

1. How long have you been a member of the church you currently attend?

2. How close do you live to your church? What would you do if you lived farther away from your church?

3. How often do you participate in church activities (services, bible study, and church events)? Does how far you live away from your church influence how often you participate in church activities?

How do you feel when you attend church activities? What do you get out of this experience? Describe for me the role that church has played in your life.

How often do you interact with other church members outside of church?

Interview 2

Physical Activity/Diet

Tell me what you think of when you hear the words “physical activity.” Tell me about your thoughts on physical activity and health.

What kind of physical activity, if any, do you do?Probe for those who are active: How often do you do it? How long have you been doing this activity?

Are there things that are helpful or could be helpful for you in being physically active? What are these things.

Picture your neighborhood and tell me what things may influence your decision to be physically active.

Eating patterns and habits:

Describe for me a typical meal. What would you describe as a healthy meal?

What are your favorite foods and drinks? Probes: What are your reasons for eating and drinking these foods/drinks?

What eating habits (foods or food rituals) would you say are particular to African American culture?

If you had to put these food habits into 2 groups “Habits that are not healthful” and “Habits that are healthful” what would you put in each group?

If I wanted to get groceries for a nice/healthy dinner, where would be a good place to shop for these food items?

How do you feel the food in your neighborhood compares to food found in orther neighborhoods? Grocery? Restaurant?

If quality food cannot be found in your neighborhood, what do you do? Are there other places to obtain good quality foods?

What connection is there, if any, between religion or spirituality and physical activity and diet?

What role, if any, do you think that the church should play in helping people to be more active?

NOTE: Due to the open-ended nature of the questions, additional questions may arise that may emerge from the information that is shared