Information behavior in stages of exercise behavior change

Abstract

This study augments the transtheoretical model (TTM) of behavior change with the concepts of information behavior and employs this framework to understand young men's needs for and practices of obtaining and avoiding information on physical activity and exercise in relation to their readiness to change exercise behavior. The results, based on statistical analyses of a population-based survey (N = 616) conducted in Finland, indicate that health information behavior is influenced by an individualЈs stage of change in the context of physical activity and exercise. In pre-action stages (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation) where individuals do not exercise regularly and are uninformed or lack motivation, commitment, or skills to change behaviors, information is most often encountered through the passive practice of nondirected monitoring. In the action stage, where individuals have recently changed their exercise behaviors, information is obtained most frequently by active seeking. In the maintenance stage, where individuals maintain earlier adopted behaviors, information is habitually obtained through active scanning. These results support the TTM in its postulation that individuals may benefit from stage-tailored healthcommunication strategies. The limitations of this study include self-reported behaviors, cross-sectional study design, and a possibly biased sample. Further research is needed to explore the role of information behavior in the process of behavior change in greater detail.

Gender differences in health information behaviour: a Finnish population-based survey

“…People's health information behaviour, that is how people seek, obtain, evaluate, categorize and use relevant health-related information to perform desired health behaviours, is inevitably a critical prerequisite to appropriate and consistent performances of these behaviours (Fisher and Fisher, 2002;Ek and Heinströ m, 2011;Hirvonen et al, 2012). Making efforts to seek and obtain health-related information has been shown to be associated with stronger health-oriented beliefs and healthier behaviours in general (Kassulke et al, 1993;Dutta-Bergman, 2004a).…”

Individual Factors Affecting Preferences for Feedback Message Tactics in the Contexts of Physical Activity

“…Overall, individual factors such as sociodemographic characteristics and physical health status influence individuals' health information behavior (Anker et al, 2011;Ek & Widén-Wulff, 2008;Eriksson-Backa, 2003). In the context of physical activity, earlier research suggests that those who are physically active (Hirvonen et al, 2012;Plotnikoff, Johnson, Karunamuni, & Boule, 2010) or aim at being active (Berry, Spence, Plotnikoff, & Bauman, 2011) are prone to seek exposure to physical activity information.…”

“…In addition, the point at which an individual is in the process of changing behavior may influence the way he or she interacts with information concerning that behavior (see Bar-Ilan, Shalom, Shoham, Baruchson-Arbib, & Getz, 2006;Brug & van Assema, 2000;Hirvonen et al, 2012). The transtheoretical model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983) proposes that behavior change is a process occurring through five stages that reflect people's different mindsets (Prochaska & Velicier, 1997).…”

“…Moreover, it is known that individual characteristics, such as health status (e.g., Ek & Heinströ m, 2011;Eriksson-Backa, 2003), self-efficacy (e.g., Pálsdó ttir, 2008), stage of behavior change (Hirvonen, Huotari, Niemelä, & Korpelainen, 2012) and educational level (e.g., Ek & Widén-Wulff, 2008), influence the way people interact with health information and how that information has an impact on their cognitions, affect, and behavior (see also Anker, Reinhart, & Feeley, 2011). To understand how to tailor information appropriately for different individuals, their preferences for feedback message tactics, as well as the individual characteristics influencing these preferences, should be considered and even objectively measured (see Enwald et al, 2012).…”

Knowledge of Prostate Gland Hypertrophy, Associated Urinary Elimination Problems And Health Seeking Practices In Men Aged 50 And Above

“…[7] A study conducted in Zimbabwe by Karera et Health seeking behaviour, refers to how people seek, obtain, evaluate, categorize and use relevant health-related information to perform desired health behaviours. [10] Good health seeking behaviours are associated with stronger positive health-oriented beliefs and healthier behaviours in general. Elderly men display low health literacy and poor health-seeking behavior.…”