“We’re all in the same boat”: The role of group physical activity in community (re) development following a natural disaster

ABSTRACT

After the 2018 Camp Fire decimated the town of Paradise, California, a group physical activity (PA) program was developed to support the community. The PARADISEU program (Physical Activity Reduces Anxiety and Depression Increases the Stress Response and Energizes You) was based on evidence that participating in PA has the potential to positively impact mental health. The current study explored the potential of PA programs to assist in individual and community growth and (re)development efforts following a natural disaster using a qualitative case-study method. Fourteen participants in the community PA program were interviewed. From their experiences, four themes emerged: benefits of physical exercise, a sense of place, social connection, and importance of leadership in the group PA classes for creating community. A composite vignette shares participants’ experiences surrounding these themes. This study provides valuable information for future community development in post-disaster recovery scenarios.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental health
• exercise
• sense of community

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the founder of PARADISEU, Dr. Cathrine Himberg, who was instrumental in facilitating the research by providing background information and providing connections to the program (e.g., participants and instructor).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).