Paper
Friday, July 23, 2004
Testing the Health Promotion Model With Thai Adolescents
Aporn Deenan, PhD, RN, Faculty of Nursing, Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand and Joanne Schneider, RN, PhD, School of Nursing, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| Learning Objective #1: Discuss using Pender's health promotion model internationally |
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss the verification of nursing theory in adolescent population |
Background: Adolescents’ reduction in exercise has resulted in higher rates of overweight/obesity and will likely lead to health threats in their adult lives. Understanding exercise behavior is crucial before planning interventions to help adolescents develop healthy exercise patterns while they are young. Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand exercise behavior and evaluate the use of Pender’s health promotion model (HPM) for Thai adolescents. Framework: Pender’s health promotion model with its three constructs (individual characteristics and experiences, behavioral-specific cognitions and affect, and behavioral outcome) guided this study. Method: Using Brislin’s back-translation method, several exercise instruments were translated into the Thai language. The final Thai version was made culturally specific. Three hundred-eleven bilingual Thai adolescents (average age = 14 years) completed the questionnaires. Results: Within the individual characteristics and experiences construct, life perspective (ß=.30, p<.001), seeking health (ß=.25, p<.001), gender (ß=.27, p<.001), and BMI (ß=-.13, p<.05) had direct effects on exercise behavior. Life perspective had indirect effects on exercise through benefits (ß=.29, p<.001) and self-efficacy (ß=.19, p<.01). Seeking health had indirect effects through barriers (ß=-.22, p<.001), benefits (ß=.20, p<.001), and self-efficacy (ß=.22, p<.001). Finally, gender had indirect effects on exercise through benefits (ß=.18, p<.01) and self-efficacy (ß=.16, p<.01). Within the behavior-specific specific cognitions and affect construct, immediate competing demands (ß=-.11, p<.05) had a direct effect on exercise behavior. The final model explained 53% of the total variance. Discussion: Pender’s HPM was useful in explaining exercise behavior for Thai adolescents. Intervention to promote physical activities was immediately needed. Verification of Pender’s HPM with various groups of Thai adolescents and further development of instruments to fit the Thai culture were recommended for future study.
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July 22-24, 2004