Predictors of Allied Health Science Students' Exercise Behavior: An Application of Pender's Health Promotion Model

Lee, Mi Ra; Kim, Wan Soo

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to examine predictors of allied health science students' exercise behavior using Pender's Health Promotion Model. METHOD: The subjects were 203 university students majoring in nursing, emergency medical service, and exercise prescription. The hypothetical model was based on the HPM(Pender, 1996). Exogenous variables of the model were exercise habit and role belief. Endogenous variables were exercise-related affect, exercise self-efficacy, exercise barrier, exercise intention, and exercise behavior. The data were analyzed by SAS PC program and LISREL 8.12 program. RESULT: The degree of exercise behavior was low(mean 1.86, range 1~4). The overall fit of the model to the data was acceptable. Exercise habit, exercise self-efficacy and exercise-related affect were significant predictors of exercise intention and exercise behavior. CONCLUSION: This study shows the necessity of the program to increase the level of exercise participation of university students majoring in allied health science. The model constructed in this study is applicable to explain exercise behavior of university students majoring in allied health science, and suggests that we should focus on exercise habit, exercise self- efficacy and exercise-related affect to increase the level of exercise behavior of this group.