ERIC Number: EJ1330999
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Feb
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1090-1981
EISSN: N/A
Factors Associated with the Intention to Begin Physical Activity among Inactive Middle-Aged and Older Adults
Massie, Ariane S.; Johnston, Heather; Sibley, Daniel; Meisner, Brad A.
Health Education & Behavior, v49 n1 p97-106 Feb 2022
Factors that affect physical activity (PA) behavior change are well established. Behavioral intention is a strong psychological predictor of behavior; however, there is less research on the factors that affect the "intention" to increase PA participation specifically, especially among adults in mid and later life who are inactive. Using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, which was informed by the transtheoretical model (TTM), this study investigated the relationships between a range of demographic and biopsychosocial factors with the intention to become physically active among 1,159 inactive adults aged 40 years and older. Comparisons were made between participants reporting the intention to begin PA in the next 30 days (TTM Preparation; n = 610), 6 months (TTM Contemplation; n = 216), or not at all (TTM Precontemplation; n = 333). First, multinomial logistic regression identified age, sex, ethnicity, education, restriction of activities, self-perceived health, and community belonging as factors significantly associated with 30-day PA intention, while age and ethnicity were significantly associated with 6-month PA intention, compared with those reporting no intention. Second, binary logistic regression revealed that education was the only factor that differentially associated with intention timeframe as participants with lower levels of education were less likely to report PA intention in 30 days compared with 6 months. Findings demonstrate key demographic, biopsychosocial, and temporal factors that warrant consideration for tailored PA promotion programs that aim to effectively address the constraints and barriers that negatively influence PA intention among middle-aged and older adults.
Descriptors: Adults, Older Adults, Intention, Physical Activity Level, Life Style, Behavior Change, Predictor Variables, Health Behavior, Foreign Countries, Individual Characteristics, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Educational Attainment, Stress Variables
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A