A causal model of physical activity in healthy older Thai people

Abstract

To develop and examine the causal relationships among self-efficacy, positive outcome expectation, negative outcome expectation, age, social support, physical environment, and physical activity among older Thai people. The sample, 320 Thai older people aged 60 years and over who resided in twelve communities within 6 sub-districts of Thailand was obtained by multi-stage random sampling. Research instruments were a personal data sheet, the Chula mental test, the positive outcome expectations for physical activity, the negative outcome expectations for physical activity, the self-efficacy for physical activity, the social support for physical activity, the environment supports for physical activity, and the physical activity questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. The goodness of fit indices illustrated that the physical activity model fit with the empirical data, and explained 65% of the variance of physical activity in healthy older Thai people. Self-efficacy was the most influential factor affecting physical activity both direct and indirect effects through negative outcome expectations. Positive outcome expectation, age, and physical environment had a significant direct effect on physical activity. Social support had a significant indirect effect on physical activity through self-efficacy. However, the positive outcome expectation was no significant to perform as directed effect from self-efficacy to physical activity. The study suggested that the physical activity model can explain physical activity in healthy older Thai people. The further interventions should be concerned about enhancing self-efficacy reducing negative outcome expectation reducing negative outcome expectation reducing negative outcome expectation, motivating social support, and providing physical environment to increase the physical activity of healthy older Thai people