title: Physical activity prescription among Mexican physicians: a structural equation analysis of the theory of planned behaviour.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the physical activity (PA) prescribing behaviour of Mexican primary care physicians and determine if the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) explains this behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  633 physicians (56% male, mean age 38 years) from 305 primary care clinics in Jalisco, Mexico self-reported PA prescription behaviour, PA involvement, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control (PBC) and intention related to PA prescription behaviour. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  48% of physicians reported they always ask patients about their PA, 33% provide verbal prescriptions, 6% provide written prescriptions, 8% refer patients to PA resources and 4% assess patient fitness. SEM analysis showed that the fit of the TPB model was satisfactory (RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.98, SRMR = 0.05). The model explained 79% of the variance on intention (r(2) = 0.79, p < 0.05), and 14% of the variance on prescription behaviour (r(2) = 0.14, p < 0.05). Subjective norm (β = 0.73, p < 0.05) and attitude (β = 0.16, p < 0.05) explained behavioural intention, while PBC (β = 0.38, p < 0.05) and physician PA (β = 0.15, p < 0.05) explained prescription behaviour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TPB provided useful insight into physician prescription behaviour, although not all the theory tenets were supported. More research testing the TPB and other theories is needed to better understand psychosocial predictors of this behaviour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies aimed at improving physicians' perceived ability to prescribe PA and their own PA involvement seem worthwhile.
authors: School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors: K I
authors: KI
authors: Galaviz
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Jauregui-Ulloa
authors: L R
authors: LR
authors: Fabrigar
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Latimer-Cheung
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Lopez y Taylor
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Lévesque
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires