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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Mary J. Findorff, PhD¹, Holly Hatch Stock, MA¹, Cynthia R. Gross, PhD², and Jean F. Wyman, PhD¹. (1) School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, 5-160 Weaver-Densford Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-624-6933, find0003@umn.edu, (2) School of Nursing/College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, 5-160 Weaver-Densford Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Purpose To determine if cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns of exercise adoption reported by older women participating in an exercise-based fall reduction program conforms to the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of behavior change.

Methods This randomized controlled trial enrolled 272 sedentary, community-dwelling women aged 70 or older into two groups: exercise adoption or attention control for a 12-week intervention. The exercise prescription included walking 30 minutes/day, five days/week and completing 11 balance exercises twice/week. The control group received information regarding health topics other than exercise. Participants were followed for one year with daily exercise logs.

Results Exercise adoption was significantly higher in the exercise group post-intervention (83% vs. 17% among controls). After one year, 60% of those in the exercise group were in action or maintenance, compared to 16% of controls. Self-efficacy in the intervention group following the intervention predicted exercise adoption at one year (OR = 1.07, 95% C.I. = 1.04-1.14). Exercise adopters increased their use of behavioral processes (baseline mean = 13.6, post-intervention mean = 14.4) while decreasing their use of experiential processes (baseline mean = 14.4, post-intervention mean = 11.5) (paired t-tests, p < .001, both). After adjustment for clinical variables, TTM variables explained 30% of the variance in walking behavior in regression analyses.

Conclusions This is one of the few studies to address the relationships of all major TTM constructs, both before and one year after an exercise intervention. With the exception of decisional balance, TTM constructs were useful in explaining exercise adoption in sedentary older women.

Learning Objectives: At the close of the session, participants will be able to

• describe the usefulness of TTM constructs in predicting exercise behavior,
• evaluate the role of self-efficacy in predicting exercise behavior, and
• discuss the role of decisional balance and processes of change in predicting exercise behavior.

Keywords: Exercise, Theory

Awards: Aetna Susan B. Anthony Award for Excellence in Research on Older Women and Public Health - Recipient

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation