Civil servants' physical activity status and its associated factors in Northeast Ethiopia: applying Health Belief Model

Eyob Getachew; Yosef Wasihun; Hordofa Gutema; Eyob Ketema Bogale; Melaku Shewaye; Anteneh Mengist Dessie; Chalachew Yenew

doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001424

Civil servants' physical activity status and its associated factors in Northeast Ethiopia: applying Health Belief Model

BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2023 Jul 19;9(3):e001424. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2022-001424. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Eyob Getachew¹, Yosef Wasihun², Hordofa Gutema³, Eyob Ketema Bogale², Melaku Shewaye¹, Anteneh Mengist Dessie⁴, Chalachew Yenew⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
² Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
³ Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
⁴ Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Identifying the associated factors of the physical activity of civil servants is necessary to increase the practice of physical activity. However, limited studies addressed associated factors of civil servants' physical activity status in Ethiopia. Hence, this study assessed civil servants' physical activity status and associated factors in Northeast Ethiopia.

Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from 28 February to 13 March 2020 and measured physical activity using WHO physical activity definition. Four hundred and eight civil servants were interviewed using a systematic random sampling technique. A descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression model were used.

Result: The percentage of physical activity for the civil servants of the study was only 2.38, with the prevalence of physical activity status of 64.0% (95% CI 60.4% to 67.61%). Perceived self-efficacy (adjusted OR (AOR)=1.98, 95% CI 1.15 to 4.12), cues to action (AOR=2.12, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.22) and being a health professional (AOR=2.19, 95% CI 1.13, 4.23) were main associated factors of physical activity. However, physical activity was not affected by respondents' sex (AOR=1.01, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.83), educational status (AOR=0.23, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.91), perceived barrier (AOR=0.97, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.04) or perceived benefit (AOR=1.02, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.09).

Conclusion: The health profession, self-efficacy and cues to action were the main associated factors of physical activity. Hence, the Sports Bureau and Health Bureau should pay attention to providing information by focusing on improving self-confidence and creating a positive attitude toward physical activity.

Keywords: COVID-19; assessing physical training modalities in enhancing sports performance; assessing physiological demands of physical activity; children's health and exercise; communicable disease.