Factors influencing Taiwanese older women's intention to attend strength and balance training (SBT) programs – A guide to increase recruitment rate of SBT programs

Falling is a serious health concern among older adults. The National Health Research Institutes in Taiwan indicated that one-fifth of older adults fell in 2005. Although empirical evidences have shown that strength and balance training (SBT) programs are effective in preventing falls, older adults rarely participate. Based on the theory of panned behavior, our previous study among 221 Taiwanese older women found that perceived behavioral control most strongly associated with intention to attend SBT programs, followed by subjective norm and attitude. In this study, we further explore how behavioral, normative, and control beliefs associated with SBT program correlate with attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, respectively. In addition, significant interactions between respondents' perceived likelihood of SBT program outcomes (behavioral beliefs) and the corresponding outcome evaluation were found in three outcomes: mental health improvement, fall risks reduction, and receiving gifts from instructors after completing the program. Significant interactions between respondents' perceived norms regarding SBT programs (normative beliefs) and their motivation to comply with these norms occurred in three referent groups: doctors, senior college classmates, and community members. Finally, significant interactions between respondents' expected controls over SBT programs (control beliefs) and their perceived impacts of these expectations were found in three sets of beliefs: expectation of SBT program held in a familiar place and expectation of having a mental/physical decline in the next six months. Interpretations and recommendations derived from these results will guide health professionals' recruitment efforts to promote older adults' intentions and actual engagement of SBT programs.