3220.0: Monday, November 13, 2000 - Board 8

Abstract #14209

Exercise promotion among health professionals

Cara Harrison, RN1, Susan Mills, RN, BSN1, Nina Almasy, RN, BSN1, and Shirley Laffrey, PhD, MPH, RN, CS2. (1) School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, N/A, carrison@mail.utexas.edu, (2) 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701

Research evidence increasingly suggests that, although health care providers traditionally take care of others, they frequently neglect their own health. This paper presents an innovative program to provide opportunities for faculty, staff, and students of a School of Nursing to increase their physical exercise. The project was based on self-efficacy and stages of change theory, and on the Texas Department of Public Health "Walk Texas" program. As a first step, a questionnaire was administered to faculty, staff, and students to survey their current amounts of exercise and the motivation, influences and inhibitors to increasing their exercise. One hundred fifty two persons, of whom 83% reported interest in a school-based program, returned completed questionnaires. Exercise facilitators identified by respondents included: having an exercise partner (55%), measuring physical responses to exercise (78%), and learning their psychological response to physical activity (66%). Focus groups were then held to further determine specific characteristics that an exercise program should incorporate to be most successful. The program development was guided by responses to the survey and focus groups, and from a faculty-student-staff advisory group. A pretest for program participants included exercise self-efficacy, attitudes towards exercise, and individual goals for exercise. Interventions were designed for persons in each stage of change. These included individualized walking programs, to be conducted alone or in small groups, and drawing maps of walking paths inside and outside the school. At the end of the semester, a post-test measured self-efficacy, attitudes towards exercise, and exercise goal achievement.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: describe possible influences and inhibtors that affect physical activity, and will be able to list possible interventions according to the stages of change theory

Keywords: Health Promotion,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA