Table 2.
Identified Themes, Unique Counts, and Examples Derived from Focus Group Interviews
| Main Theme | Category | Example | Count of unique times theme is mentioned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barriers to Initiating or Maintaining Routine Exercise | |||
| Intrapersonal | Lack of Motivation | “Once diagnosed, I kind of lost interest and I just really didn’t have the motivation. The fatigue factor was huge” | 15 |
| Routinely Boring | "Um…and you know, I always do eventually get around to it. But then, for me, it is very easy to get bored." | 11 | |
| Lack of routine | “Being on disability, without a regular schedule or something like that, you know you're left to your own free will. Well, sometimes that is not such a good thing" | 10 | |
| Lack of time/other responsibilities | Work, family, or other caregiver responsibilities | 10 | |
| General lack of confidence/self-efficacy | "What scares me is going to a gym…it is like I'm just going to wimp out and do less." | 8 | |
| Lack of familiarity with exercise | "About 5 years ago. And I went to a gym and I worked out a little bit, but I didn't know what to do. And I looked in the mirror and went I can't do this. " | 6 | |
| Social/Environmental | Not feeling comfortable in gyms due to body type/age | "I go to the gym…At home I work out in my shorts and my t-shirt. I don't care what they look like. But if I go to the gym, it’s like a runway show" | 13 |
| Travel Time/Proximity | "But the traveling is definitely a minus for me." | 10 | |
| Cost | "Well, first of all, it is the cost. They have many different fee structures which they won't advertise or let you know of, until they let you walking there and get you into a high pressure sales man." | 7 | |
| Physical | Physical Pain | ““And I actually did run for many years. Several years ago, but I had to stop because my ankle was getting affected. And I started to hurt my ankle. I don't know what was going on structurally. But I had to stop." | 11 |
| HIV Futility | "Well, I was underweight anyway, so why bother? So I would try …sure, I'll drop that…It's not going to matter anyway." | 7 | |
| Motivating Factors to Begin Exercise | |||
| Intrapersonal | Wanting To Look Better | "Being single and being gay is tough. You got to be working out. I’ve tried the other way before and it doesn't work! So when you do exercise and you're feeling good, guys are drawn to you and so then already, here comes the walls breaking down, because they are telling you that you’re hot. It's like, it stinks, because you've busted your butt off working out. But then the benefits are great...it's the pat on the back you are looking for" | 14 |
| Having a goal | “This time it is kind of like, I'll be finishing the 6th month right about Pride Fest. So it is like, Oh, good.” | 8 | |
| Getting out of the house/staying busy | “I just know it gives me something to do.” | 6 | |
| Social/Environmental | Having a workout buddy | "Like I said, I've got some place to work out in my house. But having somebody to work out with would be a good motivator." | 20 |
| Doctor's recommendation | "And my doctor is like, you've got to work on your core and stuff. So…I was like yeah, but they are getting me to do this. And they say it will help. And it has" | 16 | |
| Location/Availability | "if it's not going to be convenient, I'm not going to do it." | 11 | |
| Something fun | "Yes. It is not just all the things that are going on around me, it is also that I've got to be enjoying it." | 4 | |
| Physical | Recent weight gain | "I will stop for a while and then put on weight. And then you start getting fat and flabby and start thinking, ok, got to get back in the gym again. So it is sort of a sporadic thing for me." | 14 |
| Benefits of Exercise | |||
| Intrapersonal | Increased Self efficacy | “… and I didn’t think I could or even wanted to walk for 1/2 an hour. I was thinking 20 min. But then a 1/2 hour and then 40 min. then 50 min. I've never done that before. So it gave me …encouragement that I could do it.” | 29 |
| Mood changes/decrease depression | "I am more positive. I can…I am more forgiving of the things that are going on and more grateful of the things that I have." | 22 | |
| Increased energy | "Well, running up and down the stairs after dogs and cleaning and all that fun stuff and being on my feet for 5 hours straight. That's fantastic. I mean, normally it was like find me a chair. I mean, now I have more energy" | 16 | |
| Improved body image | "Well, this past party dance, this past weekend, it was the first time my photograph was taken where I didn't want to slit my wrists." | 13 | |
| Sense of accomplishment | "It's that pat on the back you are looking for." | 10 | |
| Stress relief | "The best part about it for me, was once you get…you just go out in your own zone. You just erase all the…I have a lot of issues in my life with my parents and what not. And it just takes all that away. After you are on the treadmill for a few minutes, you know, it just erases. You go in your own zone and you just…" | 7 | |
| Social/Environmental | Increased self confidence | "It's just…I think it pulled me out of always wanting to be alone. And I can actually go to the store and talk to a sales person." | 18 |
| Others noticing changes in appearance | "I mean I've noticed my partner - my husband - will say, you are looking better. You are looking slimmer. He is noticing muscles on me." | 9 | |
| Improved relationships | "I got lots of nieces and nephews and two of them I go to [redacted] with all the time that have grown up with since they were babies. One just turned 18. She said I am a lot more fun. She said for awhile there, you were getting to be a real drag" | 6 | |
| Physical | Muscle development | "I can't believe I got muscles coming up where I felt they didn't exist! Yeah. So legs are tightening up. They are just…you know. They are rock solid. My arms…you know, I've always had flabby arms and legs. And I can't believe the change. It is amazing." | 8 |
| Overall being healthier | “It has improved my pulmonary function tremendously already. Enough so I'm not panting anymore. I mean, I used to live on my inhaler. But now I barely use it.” | 8 | |
| Reduce Pain/Injury | “And I have neuropathy in my legs. And my legs ached and were cold. My feet were cold all the time. And I just thought maybe this exercise would help and it's helped considerably." | 4 | |