Physical Activity Prescription Among Healthcare Professionals in Hospital Setting: In the Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Introduction: Regular physical activity can achieve greater effects on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) than those achieved with drugs. The healthcare setting has been recognized as an appropriate and promising venue for prescribing physical activity. Aim of the study: To assess physical activity prescription behavior (PAPB) of Ethiopian healthcare professionals and determine if the theory of planned behavior explain this behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess healthcare professionals’ physical activity counseling and prescription behavior for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in hospital setting. The survey includes self-reported physical activity prescription behavior, and the tenets of theory of planned behavior (attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SUN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention (INT) to prescribe physical activity). Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the relationship of theoretical constructs to prescribe physical activity. Amos and SPSS software were applied to estimate the predictive utility of the theory. Results: A total of 442 healthcare professionals from 7 government hospitals in Addis Ababa city participated in the study. From these hospitals 387 healthcare professionals (physicians=135,34.9%, nurses=218,56.3% and physiotherapist=34,8.8%) completed the questionnaire. 21.4% of healthcare professionals very frequently provide verbal prescription, 5.4% provide written prescription of physical activity for the purpose of treating and preventing NCDs. The fit of the TPB model was well fit (RMSEA=0.072, CFI=.926, TLI=.910, GFI=.902). The PBC (β=.25, p<.05) and INT (β =.17, p<.05) explained physical activity prescription behavior and PBC (β=.39, p<.05), ATT (β=.16, p<.05) explained intention to prescribe physical activity. Conclusion: HCPs's physical activity prescription practice was low. The findings of this study were supported the theory and the TPB have the predictive utility in describing and predicting physical activity prescription behavior among healthcare professionals in hospital setting. The TPB confirmed to be a useful theoretical framework that should be used for understanding healthcare professionals' physical activity prescription behavior in hospital setting. The present study found that perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor of intention followed by attitude and subjective norm. Also not only for intention it was a strong predictor followed by intention for physical activity prescription behavior and had a direct effects on healthcare professionals' PAP behavior Recommendation: Interventions/strategies focused on improving healthcare professionals' perceived ability to provide physical activity prescription and the willingness or motivation of healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients are important. For instance, facilitating fitness centers or gyms in hospitals can encourage healthcare professionals to prescribe physical activity for their patients as well as to make active HCPs.