Objective: This study examined physical activity levels and habitual exercise patterns in active duty (AD) female soldiers. Pender’s Health Promotion Model (HPM) served as a conceptual framework.
Design: A descriptive correlational design was employed with a cross-sectional mailed survey.
Population, Sample, Setting, and Years: All active duty female soldiers (2121) assigned to a large U.S. Army base in the Pacific Northwest were mailed surveys and 1103 surveys were returned (52% response rate). The study was conducted from September 1999 to September 2001.
Concepts or Variables Studied Together: Independent study variables included biological factors, sociocultural factors, prior-related behavior, behavior-specific cognitions, and interpersonal influences. Dependent variables were identified as behavioral outcomes of physical activity and exercise (indices of sport, work, and leisure activities).
Methods: Multiple regression analyses identified factors predicting the type, frequency, and pattern of physical activities and exercise.
Findings: Individual factors and interpersonal influences were associated with sport-related activity. Practicing good nutrition habits, viewing exercise as associated with health benefits, possessing self-efficacy for exercise, and perceiving family social support for exercise were positively associated with engaging in sport-related physical activity. Living with a spouse was negatively associated with sport-related physical activity. In contrast, only good nutrition habits and perceiving social support for exercise from family and/or friends were positively associated with leisure time physical activity.
Conclusions: Individual and interpersonal factors, as outlined in Pender’s HPM, vary with regard to physical activity and exercise in AD female soldiers. Many females do not participate in physical activity/exercise with sufficient frequency to reap maximum health benefits.
Implications: Interventions are needed to increase social support for the promotion of exercise. Education regarding the benefits of exercise is needed to enhance perceptions of exercise self-efficacy for increasing AD female soldiers’ participation in vigorous physical activity.
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Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003