Volume 26, Issue 4: August, 1999

Abstract

EXERCISE SELF-EFFICACY AND ITS CORRELATES AMONG SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED OLDER ADULTS

Daniel O. Clark, PhD, and Faryle Nothwehr, MPH, PhD

Address reprint requests to:
Daniel O. Clark, PhD, Indiana University Center for Aging Research, Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, 1001 West 10th Street, RG-6, Indianapolis, IN 46202-2859; phone: (317) 630-7200; fax: (317) 630-6611; e-mail: clark_d@regenstrief.iupui.edu.

Self-efficacy has been shown to be one of the strongest, mutable predictors of exercise behavior. This report presents data on exercise self-efficacy and outcome expectations and their correlates within a stratified random sample of 729 urban, lower-income primary-care patients age 55 and older. Exercise self-efficacy scores were greater among persons with current exercise, no pain or fear of shortness of breath with exercise, and good self-rated health. Higher outcome expectations scores were associated with verbal persuasion from a doctor or from family and friends and positive attitudes and knowledge of exercise. Sociodemographic characteristics, environmental factors, and intrapersonal factors accounted for 31% of the variance in self-efficacy, but just 13% of the variance in outcome expectations. Further work on potential correlates and their measurement is needed to identify determinants of both outcome expectations and self-efficacy.