Preferred Strategy The information booklet was by far the preferred strategy for the majority of women. Reasons for this included: women’s enjoyment of reading; the fact that is was less time-consuming than the online calendar; and the provision of a range of useful information and tips to be active. ‘‘The booklet is better for me as it is not as demanding nor exhortative as on-line diary/calendar would be’’ (Hannah, 45) However a large proportion of women and key stakeholders also suggested that using the information booklet in conjunction with the online activity calendar would be most preferred since each strategy is quite different. ‘‘BOTH – I think they go hand-in-hand with each other. The booklet lets you find out activities you can do and the diary/calendar motivates you to uphold your choices and plan’’ (Orla, 62) Discussion The aim of the current study was to investigate the perceived feasibility of two proposed intervention approaches (one print- based and one web-based) designed to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior amongst women living in socio- economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Furthermore, the study aimed to investigate the feasibility of the two proposed intervention strategies amongst a small sample of key stakeholders. The information booklet was perceived by women and key stakeholders as a potentially feasible strategy to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior. Since living in socio- economically disadvantaged neighborhoods is generally associated with lower education (including literacy) levels [36], the in- formation booklet used in the current study was designed to ensure good readability, with the use of simple language and pictures. Most participants suggested that the information booklet was easy to read/understand and well presented. Self-instructional reading (information) materials have been suggested to be an effective and cost-effective strategy for increasing walking amongst disadvan- taged women [37], provided that information is presented in a comprehensible style. A common theme that emerged from the current study was the women’s desire for weight loss tools and information (e.g. diet tips, calorie counters) to be included within both the information booklet as well as the online activity calendar. Since women living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods are at a great- er risk of overweight and obesity than women more advantaged neighborhoods [9], this may be an important component that could provide additional motivation in interventions amongst these women. A number of information-based weight-loss interventions in the general population have been effective in increasing physical activity [38] as well as facilitating weight loss [39] which provides further impetus for testing such strategies within a sample of women living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. A small number of women suggested that the booklet lacked information relevant to their personal needs, age and/or lifestyle. Individual tailoring of information has been found to be a success- ful strategy for increasing physical activity as it increases the personal relevance of physical activity interventions for various sub-groups [40]. The findings of the current study indicate that tailoring booklets to various age-groups may be more appropriate. Nonetheless, exhaustive searches of local facilities were conducted, Promoting Physical Activity in Disadvantaged Women and to our knowledge, all local physical activity recreational clubs, classes and facilities were included in the booklet, suggesting that there may be a real lack of access and opportunities for older and working women to be physically active in the targeted neighbor- hood. Consistent with previous research [41] suggesting that community-wide physical activity promotion strategies are more likely to be successful when tailored to the attributes of target groups, findings of this study suggested that tailoring delivery methods of the booklet to suit different women’s needs, lifestyles and ages may also be important. Several women and key stakeholders suggested that the tips provided to reduce sedentary behavior, such as standing at your computer, were impractical and unrealistic. Further, very few women were able to suggest ideas on other information that may help them reduce their sedentary behavior. The concept of reducing sedentary behavior for health benefits is a relatively new area of research and public health focus, and therefore a large proportion of the population may be unfamiliar with it. It is therefore important to promote more broadly the independent health risks linked to engaging in long periods of sedentary behavior, for instance through large scale mass media and social marketing campaigns. The information booklet was perceived as the preferred and most feasible strategy for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior amongst the women. However, a number of women saw the value in both intervention strategies and felt that both the information booklet and the online activity calendar should be used together and would complement each other. Previous research comparing print and web-based physical activity interventions has found both strategies to be effective in increasing physical activity in adults [42]. However, one intervention study in the general population [43] reported participants receiving a print- based strategy increased their physical activity levels, yet participants receiving a web-based strategy decreased their sedentary behavior at the end of the study. Consistent with previous recommendations for children and adults [29], the findings of our study suggest that a multi-component approach may be the most successful method to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior amongst women living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. A major strength of the current study was the qualitative design, which provided detailed insights not possible from quantitative approaches. Furthermore, the inclusion of women from socio- economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in this study provided novel insights in an important group at risk of physical inactivity [44,45]. Moreover, the current study tested the feasibility of ‘minimal’ intervention strategies that may be widely distributed to large numbers of people, as well as being relatively inexpensive and non-intensive [37]. Thus, these strategies may be more appropriate to implement within socioeconomically disadvantaged communities than more expensive or intensive strategies. When interpreting the results of this study, a number of limitations should be considered. Firstly, socio-economic disad- vantage was defined using an area-based measure. Therefore, a number of participants may not be considered to be socio- economically disadvantaged based on individual level indicators such as income or education. Nevertheless, area-based indicators of disadvantage have been linked to lower leisure-time physical activity, independent of individual socio-economic indicators [5]. Secondly, a number of the women in the current study were already quite active. The recruitment of an inactive sample may have yielded different results. Finally, the current study initially targeted a high-risk and typically hard to reach group (women living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods). PLOS ONE | www.plosone.org 6 November 2012 | Volume 7 | Issue 11 | e49583