Date of Award

Spring 8-1-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Health Science

Department

Applied Health Science

First Advisor

Olabode Ayodele

Second Advisor

Darleesa Doss

Third Advisor

Whitney Nesser

Abstract

Exercise is a component of physical activity that can aid in the reduction of deaths, lowering obesity rates, and chronic illness. However, many Americans are not meeting the recommended physical activity levels (Carlson, et al., 2018). Quality and accurate health information regarding physical activity is one way to help combat health disparities. Health professionals such as primary care physicians can aid in promoting this lifestyle modification. However, there are shortfalls in physicians’ knowledge of using exercise as a form of preventive medicine for chronic illness. Many medical programs have little to no training in exercise principles (Cardinal et al., 2015). The purpose of this study was to: 1. Determine physicians’ overall intention to use exercise as preventive medicine to help improve or prevent chronic illness. 2. Assess the utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a predictor of a physician’s intention to use exercise as a form of preventive medicine to help improve or prevent chronic illness. 3. Examine the influence of outside factors on the intention to use exercise as a form of preventive medicine. In this cross-sectional study, a quantitative-based survey was administered to physicians in the state of Indiana. A modified survey based on the TPB was used to measure physician’s attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, knowledge, and physician exercise habits. Surveys were delivered digitally via email with a Qualtrics link and data were analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, percentage) were used to characterize the study sample. Bivariate analysis was conducted to control for any outside factors, while hierarchal regression analysis was conducted. No TPB construct had a statistically significant contribution to overall intention while the outside factor of knowledge was statistically significant.

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