African Americans are at increased risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD)—atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta and arteries of the lower extremities. PAD is a major risk factor for poor quality of life but the risk factors associated with this outcome are not well known. We sought to determine the risk factors associated with quality of life among a cohort of African Americans with PAD. We analyzed baseline data from an ongoing NIH funded clinical trial in which we seek to determine the efficacy of a behavioral intervention to improve walking distance among African Americans with PAD.