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Development and evaluation of a worksite health promotion program : application of critical self-directed learing for exercise behaviour change Hubball, Harry Thomas
Abstract
Low participation in and poor adherence to regular exercise presents a major challenge for health promotion programs (Centers for Disease Control, 1990; Dishman, 1994). The workplace provides a unique context to reach a large proportion of society for multiple health promotion programs. Effective workplace interventions are likely those combining environmental and behavioural change models from a variety of fields, and are tailored as much as resources will allow to the needs and circumstances of the workplace culture and to individuals participating in the program (Green and Cargo 1994). Few studies in the workplace context, however, have focused on integrated programs drawn from a variety of fields to facilitate exercise behaviour change. Even less evidence exists about application of learning following worksite health promotion programs. The purpose of this study was to examine application of learning following an integrated worksite health promotion program. The aim of the program was to empower participants individually and collectively with knowledge, attitudes, skills and experiences to think critically and to self-direct exercise behaviour change. Green and Kreuter's (1991) Precede-Proceed model was used as the guiding framework for the planning and evaluation processes in a worksite setting. Twenty-six clerical employees in the University of British Columbia's Department of Housing and Conferences participated in a four-week intervention program and twenty-two clerical employees participated in a waiting-list control group. An eclectic set of quantitative and qualitative tools examined participant experiences and outcome measures pertaining to exercise behaviour change. Structural changes occurred in the workplace environment to facilitate healthful behaviours. Quantitative findings indicated that positive changes occurred for the experimental group during the program and at a three- month follow-up with respect to exercise self-efficacy, exercise stages of change and exercise behaviour (p<0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed that a myriad of individual, social and other contextual factors shaped whether and how learning was applied. Motives to attend the program, previous experiences, critical thinking and self-directed learning skills, and power to influence significant others and resources in the context of application influenced exercise behaviour. Furthermore, application varied by type, frequency, intensity and duration to suit specific needs and circumstances. Learning was applied to enhance motivation for brisk walking, fitness classes, holistic health behaviours and time with significant others. Two conclusions are drawn from this study. First, a worksite health promotion program developed by integrating behaviour change models drawn from a variety of fields can be effective for exercise behaviour change. Second, in the context of application individual and social contextual strategies are required to enhance exercise behaviour. Theoretical concepts and intervention strategies to facilitate critical self-directed learning for exercise behaviour change are discussed.
Item Metadata
Title |
Development and evaluation of a worksite health promotion program : application of critical self-directed learing for exercise behaviour change
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1996
|
Description |
Low participation in and poor adherence to regular exercise
presents a major challenge for health promotion programs
(Centers for Disease Control, 1990; Dishman, 1994). The
workplace provides a unique context to reach a large proportion
of society for multiple health promotion programs. Effective
workplace interventions are likely those combining environmental
and behavioural change models from a variety of fields, and are
tailored as much as resources will allow to the needs and
circumstances of the workplace culture and to individuals
participating in the program (Green and Cargo 1994). Few studies
in the workplace context, however, have focused on integrated
programs drawn from a variety of fields to facilitate exercise
behaviour change. Even less evidence exists about application of
learning following worksite health promotion programs. The
purpose of this study was to examine application of learning
following an integrated worksite health promotion program. The
aim of the program was to empower participants individually and
collectively with knowledge, attitudes, skills and experiences
to think critically and to self-direct exercise behaviour
change. Green and Kreuter's (1991) Precede-Proceed model was
used as the guiding framework for the planning and evaluation
processes in a worksite setting.
Twenty-six clerical employees in the University of British
Columbia's Department of Housing and Conferences participated in
a four-week intervention program and twenty-two clerical
employees participated in a waiting-list control group. An
eclectic set of quantitative and qualitative tools examined
participant experiences and outcome measures pertaining to
exercise behaviour change. Structural changes occurred in the
workplace environment to facilitate healthful behaviours.
Quantitative findings indicated that positive changes occurred
for the experimental group during the program and at a three-
month follow-up with respect to exercise self-efficacy, exercise
stages of change and exercise behaviour (p<0.05). Qualitative
analysis revealed that a myriad of individual, social and other
contextual factors shaped whether and how learning was applied.
Motives to attend the program, previous experiences, critical
thinking and self-directed learning skills, and power to
influence significant others and resources in the context of
application influenced exercise behaviour. Furthermore,
application varied by type, frequency, intensity and duration to
suit specific needs and circumstances. Learning was applied to
enhance motivation for brisk walking, fitness classes, holistic
health behaviours and time with significant others.
Two conclusions are drawn from this study. First, a
worksite health promotion program developed by integrating
behaviour change models drawn from a variety of fields can be
effective for exercise behaviour change. Second, in the context
of application individual and social contextual strategies are
required to enhance exercise behaviour. Theoretical concepts and
intervention strategies to facilitate critical self-directed
learning for exercise behaviour change are discussed.
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Extent |
14461356 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-03-17
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0076868
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1996-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.