Assessing the Physical Activity of Health Volunteers Based on the Pender’s Health Promotion Model

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Health Education, School of Health, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran

Abstract

Aims Physical inactivity has been identified as the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality
causing an estimated of 3.2million deaths per year. This study aimed to assess the physical
activity of health volunteers with Pender’s Health Promotion Model.
Instrument & Methods This cross-sectional analytical study was performed on 80 health
volunteers in Torbat-e-Jam City, Iran, in 2015. A researcher-made questionnaire with the
following sections was used to gather data; perceived benefits, perceived barriers, selfefficacy,
interpersonal influences, positive emotion, commitment, modeling and competing
preferences. SPSS 16 sofware was used to analyze data by independent T, Pearson’s
correlation coefficient and linear regression tests.
Findings There was no significant difference between the scores according to educational
levels, age groups, BMI score, marital status, habitat and experience as a health volunteer
duration. Physical activity had positive correlation with perceived benefits, self-efficacy,
commitment, positive emotion and situational influences and a negative correlation with
perceived barriers. Situational influences, as the strongest predictor of the physical activity,
predicted 35.1% of it and then positive emotions predicted 34.7% and self-efficacy predicted
23.4% of physical activity.
Conclusion The level of physical activity in health volunteers of Torbat-e-Jam City, Iran, is not
appropriate and is less than moderate.

Keywords