Predicting intentions to be physically active among volunteer firefighters in rural North Carolina: a study utilizing a modified theory of planned behavior

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dc.contributorBirch, David A.
dc.contributorGordon, Brian C.
dc.contributorLeeper, James D.
dc.contributorUsdan, Stuart L.
dc.contributor.advisorNickelson, Joyce E.
dc.contributor.authorLindsay, Kayla Lindsay
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Alabama Tuscaloosa
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-01T17:45:09Z
dc.date.available2017-03-01T17:45:09Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.descriptionElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
dc.description.abstractBackground: In 2015, the United States Fire Association (USFA) reported 51% of firefighter deaths were from sudden cardiac incidents. Sudden cardiac death has consistently accounted for the largest share of on-duty firefighter deaths since the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) began gathering firefighter health data in 1977 (USFA, 2015a). Physical activity is a protective factor against cardiovascular disease, but most firefighters do not meet recommended levels of physical activity (Baur, Christophi, Cook & Kales, 2012a). The theory of planned behavior (TPB) offers suggestions for why people do or do not engage in desirable behaviors, such as physical activity, and proposes that the primary determinant for behavior is the intention to perform the behavior (Glanz & Bishop, 2010). This study used the TPB, modified to include past behavior and perceived risk, in an attempt to understand firefighters’ intentions to be physically active. Methods: This study used cross-sectional, descriptive, and predictive correlational research designs using survey methodology (n=123). Findings: Results from logistic regression analyses found that TPB constructs of attitudes, past physical activity behavior, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) were significantly related (p<.05) to intentions to be physically active among volunteer firefighters in rural North Carolina. Past moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise was most strongly related to intentions to be physically active, explaining 35% of the variance. No other factors significantly influenced intentions to be physically active. Body mass index (BMI) of the firefighters classified 35.9% as overweight and 44.4% as obese. Volunteer firefighters in this study did not perceive themselves at a high risk of heart disease, even though statistically 51% of firefighter deaths are from cardiac incidents (Haynes & Stein, 2016). Implications: Data obtained from a second examination should be used to further validate the reliability of the modifications to the TPB and past physical activity scales. The addition of perceived risk to the TPB added little to our understanding of intentions to be physically active, but the relationships among all these variables should be explored more fully by quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings from this study have implications for future intervention development aimed at targeting preventive efforts for volunteer firefighter populations.en_US
dc.format.extent184 p.
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.otheru0015_0000001_0002360
dc.identifier.otherLindsay_alatus_0004D_12840
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/2682
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Alabama Libraries
dc.relation.hasversionborn digital
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Electronic Theses and Dissertations
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Libraries Digital Collections
dc.rightsAll rights reserved by the author unless otherwise indicated.en_US
dc.subjectHealth education
dc.subjectHealth sciences
dc.titlePredicting intentions to be physically active among volunteer firefighters in rural North Carolina: a study utilizing a modified theory of planned behavioren_US
dc.typethesis
dc.typetext
etdms.degree.departmentUniversity of Alabama. Department of Health Science
etdms.degree.disciplineHealth Education/Promotion
etdms.degree.grantorThe University of Alabama
etdms.degree.leveldoctoral
etdms.degree.namePh.D.

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