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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Gina H. Blunt, PhD, University of Mississippi, 1213 Misty Isle Drive, Memphis, TN 38103 and Jeffrey S. Hallam, PhD, Center for Health Promotion and Health Behavior, University of Mississippi, PO Box 1848, University, MS 38677, 6629155140, jhallam@olemiss.edu.

Adult physical inactivity is an important health concern in the United States. Research is building on the environmental determinants of physical activity; however, little research has been conducted in a worksite setting. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-report instrument, the Worksite Supportive Environments for Active Living Survey (SEALS), to measure perceived physical and social environmental factors in the worksite setting which have been shown to influence physical activity. Items were generated from a review of the literature, sent out for peer and expert panel review, and field tested on randomly selected full-time employees (N=16) from two universities in the Mid-South. Revisions were made and the 50-item questionnaire was randomly sent out to 1250 regular full-time employees from two universities to determine and test the emerging factor structure with exploratory (Group 1 N=341) and confirmatory factor analysis (Group 2 N=342). Items with low communalities (<.45), low loadings (<.30), or crossloadings (>.30) were examined for logical fit in the model. Principal axis factoring with a varimax rotation produced a seven factor structure with 28 items. Confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate fit of the data to the hypothesized model (CFI=.902, SMREA = .063). Internal consistency and temporal stability were adequate (á =.787-.881; r =.731-.958). The factors on the final instrument demonstrated good construct reliability (.791-.878) and discriminant validity. The resulting 28-item Worksite SEALS is a reliable and valid tool for investigating perception of the worksite physical activity environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe survey research design methodology.
• Identify limitations to self report survey design.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered