title: Does action follow intention with participation in home and group-based falls prevention exercise programs? An exploratory, prospective, observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exercise for falls prevention is effective but of limited uptake in real life. The link between intention and behavior is central to many health-behavior models, but has not been examined in the falls prevention exercise context.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines this relationship and prospectively identifies factors associated with participation in group and home-based falls prevention exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational study of community-dwelling adults in Australia >70 years of age with a 12 month follow-up (n=394 commenced baseline assessment, n=247 commenced follow-up).
  
  
  METHODS
  Intention, and other potential predictive factors examined, were measured at baseline while participation was measured using self-report at 12 month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 65% and 72% of our sample at baseline agreed or strongly agreed they would participate in the falls prevention exercise programs. n=27 respondents participated in home-based exercise during follow-up and had intention to do so while n=29 who participated did not have intention. In contrast, n=43 respondents participated in group exercise and had intention to do so compared to 11 who participated but did not intend to at baseline. Perception of personal effectiveness and previous exposure to the exercise intervention were most strongly predictive of future participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More people who do not want to participate in home exercise actually participate in home exercise than people who do not want to participate in group exercise that actually do. It may be easier to convince people who do not want to participate in falls prevention exercise to participate in a home program.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, School of Primary Health Care, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. Electronic address: terrence.haines@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Terry P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia.
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research in Employment and Work, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Trang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.affiliation: Ageing, Health & Work Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney and Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, Lidcombe, New South Wales 2141, Australia.
authors.forename: Lindy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clemson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Healthy and Safe Sport, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria 3353, Australia.
authors.forename: Caroline F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Finch
authors.affiliation: Monash Injury Research Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Exercise; Falls; Intention; Participation