International Journal of Science, Technology and Society

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Physical Activity Prescription Among Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Setting: In the Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Received: Feb. 08, 2019    Accepted: Dec. 20, 2019    Published: Jan. 04, 2020
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Abstract

Introduction: Regular physical activity can achieve greater effects on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) than those achieved with drugs. The healthcare setting has been recognized as an appropriate and promising venue for prescribing physical activity. Aim of the study: To assess physical activity prescription behavior (PAPB) of Ethiopian healthcare professionals and determine if the theory of planned behavior explain this behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess healthcare professionals’ physical activity counseling and prescription behavior for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in hospital setting. The survey includes self-reported physical activity prescription behavior, and the tenets of theory of planned behavior (attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SUN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention (INT) to prescribe physical activity). Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the relationship of theoretical constructs to prescribe physical activity. Amos and SPSS software were applied to estimate the predictive utility of the theory. Results: A total of 442 healthcare professionals from 7 government hospitals in Addis Ababa city participated in the study. From these hospitals 387 healthcare professionals (physicians=135,34.9%, nurses=218,56.3% and physiotherapist=34,8.8%) completed the questionnaire. 21.4% of healthcare professionals very frequently provide verbal prescription, 5.4% provide written prescription of physical activity for the purpose of treating and preventing NCDs. The fit of the TPB model was well fit (RMSEA=0.072, CFI=.926, TLI=.910, GFI=.902). The PBC (β=.25, p<.05) and INT (β =.17, p<.05) explained physical activity prescription behavior and PBC (β=.39, p<.05), ATT (β=.16, p<.05) explained intention to prescribe physical activity. Conclusion: HCPs's physical activity prescription practice was low. The findings of this study were supported the theory and the TPB have the predictive utility in describing and predicting physical activity prescription behavior among healthcare professionals in hospital setting. The TPB confirmed to be a useful theoretical framework that should be used for understanding healthcare professionals' physical activity prescription behavior in hospital setting. The present study found that perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor of intention followed by attitude and subjective norm. Also not only for intention it was a strong predictor followed by intention for physical activity prescription behavior and had a direct effects on healthcare professionals' PAP behavior Recommendation: Interventions/strategies focused on improving healthcare professionals' perceived ability to provide physical activity prescription and the willingness or motivation of healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients are important. For instance, facilitating fitness centers or gyms in hospitals can encourage healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients as well as to make active HCPs.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11
Published in International Journal of Science, Technology and Society ( Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2020 )
Page(s) 1-8
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Physical Activity Prescription, Structural Equation Modeling, Non-communicable Diseases and Theory of Planned Behavior

References
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[2] Jacobson, D., M., Strohecker, L., Compton, M., T., & Katz, D., L. (2005). Physical activity counseling in the Aault primary care setting: Position statement of the American College of Preventive Medicine. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29 (2): 158-162.
[3] WHO. (2010b). Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health. Geneva: World Health Organization.
[4] WHO (2011). The Growing Danger of Non-Communicable Diseases: Acting Now to Reverse Course. Geneva: WHO.
[5] Lee, I. M., Shiroma, E. J., Lobelo, F., Puska, P., Blair, S. N., & Katzmarzyk, P. T. (2012). Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet, 380 (9838): 219-29.
[6] Tudor-Locke C, Myers AM. (2001) Challenges and opportunities for measuring physical activity in sedentary adults. Sports Med; 31 (2): 91-100.
[7] World Health Organization. (WHO, 2009). Global Health Risks: Mortality and Burden of Disease attributable to Selected Major Risks (Geneva, WHO).
[8] Daley, A. (2008). Exercise and depression: A review of reviews. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 15, 140–147.
[9] Borjesson M: Promotion of physical activity in the hospital setting. Dtsch Z Sportmed 64 (2013) 162-165. DOI: 10.5960/dzsm.2012.069.
[10] Milton K, Smith B, Bull F. Action area 3: Health care. In: Blueprint for an active Australia. 2nd edn. Melbourne: National Heart Foundation of Australia, 2014.
[11] Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decisions Processes, 50, 179-211.
[12] Ajzen, I. (1998). Models of human social behavior and their application to health psychology. Psychology and Health, 13, 735-739.
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[15] Godin, G., Belanger-Gravel, A., Eccles, M., & Grimshaw, J. (2008). Healthcare professionals' intentions and behaviours: A systematic review of studies based on social cognitive theories. Implementation Science, 3 (1), 36.
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[17] Galaviz KI, Jauregui E, Fabrigar L, Latimer-Cheung A, Lopez y Taylor J, Lévesque L. (2014). Physical activity prescription among Mexican physicians: a structural equation analysis of the theory of planned behaviour. International Journal of Clinical Practice (under review).
[18] Ajzen I. (2006). Constructing a TPB questionnaire: Conceptual and methodological considerations. [cited 14 January 2017] Available from: http://www.people.umass.edu/aizen/pdf/tpb.measurement.pdf.
[19] Galaviz KI, Jauregui E, Fabrigar L, Latimer-Cheung A, Lopez y Taylor J, Lévesque L (2015). Physical activity prescription among Mexican physicians: a structural equation analysis of the theory of planned behaviour. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 69 (3) 375-383.
[20] The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPQ, 2005). Guidelines for Data Processing and Analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) – Short and Long Forms November 2005.
[21] Hair J. F, Black W. C, Babin B. J and Anderon R. E (2010). Multivariate Data Analysis (7th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.
[22] Hu, L. T. and Bentler, P. M. (1999), "Cutoff Criteria for Fit Indexes in Covariance Structure Analysis: Conventional Criteria Versus New Alternatives," Structural Equation Modeling, 6 (1), 1-55.
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    Getu Teferi. (2020). Physical Activity Prescription Among Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Setting: In the Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior. International Journal of Science, Technology and Society, 8(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11

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    Getu Teferi. Physical Activity Prescription Among Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Setting: In the Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Int. J. Sci. Technol. Soc. 2020, 8(1), 1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11

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    AMA Style

    Getu Teferi. Physical Activity Prescription Among Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Setting: In the Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Int J Sci Technol Soc. 2020;8(1):1-8. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11,
      author = {Getu Teferi},
      title = {Physical Activity Prescription Among Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Setting: In the Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior},
      journal = {International Journal of Science, Technology and Society},
      volume = {8},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-8},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsts.20200801.11},
      abstract = {Introduction: Regular physical activity can achieve greater effects on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) than those achieved with drugs. The healthcare setting has been recognized as an appropriate and promising venue for prescribing physical activity. Aim of the study: To assess physical activity prescription behavior (PAPB) of Ethiopian healthcare professionals and determine if the theory of planned behavior explain this behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess healthcare professionals’ physical activity counseling and prescription behavior for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in hospital setting. The survey includes self-reported physical activity prescription behavior, and the tenets of theory of planned behavior (attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SUN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention (INT) to prescribe physical activity). Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the relationship of theoretical constructs to prescribe physical activity. Amos and SPSS software were applied to estimate the predictive utility of the theory. Results: A total of 442 healthcare professionals from 7 government hospitals in Addis Ababa city participated in the study. From these hospitals 387 healthcare professionals (physicians=135,34.9%, nurses=218,56.3% and physiotherapist=34,8.8%) completed the questionnaire. 21.4% of healthcare professionals very frequently provide verbal prescription, 5.4% provide written prescription of physical activity for the purpose of treating and preventing NCDs. The fit of the TPB model was well fit (RMSEA=0.072, CFI=.926, TLI=.910, GFI=.902). The PBC (β=.25, p<.05) and INT (β =.17, p<.05) explained physical activity prescription behavior and PBC (β=.39, p<.05), ATT (β=.16, p<.05) explained intention to prescribe physical activity. Conclusion: HCPs's physical activity prescription practice was low. The findings of this study were supported the theory and the TPB have the predictive utility in describing and predicting physical activity prescription behavior among healthcare professionals in hospital setting. The TPB confirmed to be a useful theoretical framework that should be used for understanding healthcare professionals' physical activity prescription behavior in hospital setting. The present study found that perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor of intention followed by attitude and subjective norm. Also not only for intention it was a strong predictor followed by intention for physical activity prescription behavior and had a direct effects on healthcare professionals' PAP behavior Recommendation: Interventions/strategies focused on improving healthcare professionals' perceived ability to provide physical activity prescription and the willingness or motivation of healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients are important. For instance, facilitating fitness centers or gyms in hospitals can encourage healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients as well as to make active HCPs.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    T1  - Physical Activity Prescription Among Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Setting: In the Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
    AU  - Getu Teferi
    Y1  - 2020/01/04
    PY  - 2020
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11
    T2  - International Journal of Science, Technology and Society
    JF  - International Journal of Science, Technology and Society
    JO  - International Journal of Science, Technology and Society
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    EP  - 8
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsts.20200801.11
    AB  - Introduction: Regular physical activity can achieve greater effects on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) than those achieved with drugs. The healthcare setting has been recognized as an appropriate and promising venue for prescribing physical activity. Aim of the study: To assess physical activity prescription behavior (PAPB) of Ethiopian healthcare professionals and determine if the theory of planned behavior explain this behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess healthcare professionals’ physical activity counseling and prescription behavior for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in hospital setting. The survey includes self-reported physical activity prescription behavior, and the tenets of theory of planned behavior (attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SUN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention (INT) to prescribe physical activity). Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the relationship of theoretical constructs to prescribe physical activity. Amos and SPSS software were applied to estimate the predictive utility of the theory. Results: A total of 442 healthcare professionals from 7 government hospitals in Addis Ababa city participated in the study. From these hospitals 387 healthcare professionals (physicians=135,34.9%, nurses=218,56.3% and physiotherapist=34,8.8%) completed the questionnaire. 21.4% of healthcare professionals very frequently provide verbal prescription, 5.4% provide written prescription of physical activity for the purpose of treating and preventing NCDs. The fit of the TPB model was well fit (RMSEA=0.072, CFI=.926, TLI=.910, GFI=.902). The PBC (β=.25, p<.05) and INT (β =.17, p<.05) explained physical activity prescription behavior and PBC (β=.39, p<.05), ATT (β=.16, p<.05) explained intention to prescribe physical activity. Conclusion: HCPs's physical activity prescription practice was low. The findings of this study were supported the theory and the TPB have the predictive utility in describing and predicting physical activity prescription behavior among healthcare professionals in hospital setting. The TPB confirmed to be a useful theoretical framework that should be used for understanding healthcare professionals' physical activity prescription behavior in hospital setting. The present study found that perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor of intention followed by attitude and subjective norm. Also not only for intention it was a strong predictor followed by intention for physical activity prescription behavior and had a direct effects on healthcare professionals' PAP behavior Recommendation: Interventions/strategies focused on improving healthcare professionals' perceived ability to provide physical activity prescription and the willingness or motivation of healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients are important. For instance, facilitating fitness centers or gyms in hospitals can encourage healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients as well as to make active HCPs.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 1
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Author Information
  • Department of Sports Science, Debremarkos University, Debremarkos, Ethiopia

  • Section