Background/Purpose : Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a comprehensive construct including physical and psychosocial health functioning (Varni & Limbers, 2007). Despite significant health benefits of regular physical activity (PA), over 40% of female college students do not meet recommended PA guidelines to promote their health (Barnes, 2007). To increase their PA and achieve public health goals, a social ecological approach that incorporates multiple factors from individual through social and environmental influences is recommended (USDHHS, 2010). This study investigated the influences of individual (e.g., self-efficacy, enjoyment), social (e.g., family and friend support), and physical environmental factors (e.g., crime safety) on students' PA and HRQOL, respectively.
Method : Participants were 243 (M age = 21.0 ± 3.2) female students enrolled in a public university who completed validated surveys assessing their perceptions of PA, HRQOL, and social ecological factors.
Analysis/Results : Three hierarchical regressions, entering individual factors first, followed by social and physical environmental factors, revealed self-efficacy and crime safety were significant predictors of students' PA (R2 = 19.3%; β = .32, -.11, all p < 0.05). For physical functioning, significant predictors were self-efficacy, enjoyment, and crime safety (R2 = 25.4%; β = .14, .39, -.11, all p < 0.05). Finally, enjoyment was the only predictor of psychosocial functioning (R2 = 7.7%; β = .21, p < 0.01).
Conclusions : These findings indicated health professionals need to consider students' individual factors and crime safety. It might be fruitful for them to foster safe environment, enhance self-efficacy and enjoyment to promote female students' PA and HRQOL.
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