The Relationship Between Health Perception and Exercise Behavior among Thai Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Correlation Study
Keywords:
health perception, exercise behavior, adolescents, a cross-sectional correlation studyAbstract
This study aimed to examine the relationship between health perception and exercise behavior among Thai adolescents, using data from high school students at Naresuan University Secondary Demonstration School, in Phitsanulok province.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 324 students selected by simple random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires on health perception and exercise behavior, which were validated for content validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
The study found that the perceived benefits of exercise had a moderate positive correlation with exercise behavior (r = .40, p < .05). Perceived barriers to exercise had a low negative correlation with exercise behavior (r = -.25, p < .05). Perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of not exercising had low to moderate positive correlations with exercise behavior (r = .33, p < .05 and r = .36, p < .05, respectively). Therefore, health promotion programs should focus on enhancing the perceived benefits of exercise and reducing the barriers faced by adolescents to encourage healthy behaviors.
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