Measuring Adherence to a Self-Care Fitness Walking Routine

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a theoretically appropriate measure for adherence to a self-care fitness walking routine. Self-care activities are very different from prescribed therapeutic regimens. One important difference is the determination of the activity prescription or behavioral standard. When the activity is classified as self-care, the behavioral standard is determined by the individual. When the activity is a prescribed therapeutic regimen, it is determined by the health care provider. Adherence to health related activities is usually calculated by comparing actual behaviors with an expert determined standard. When this technique is used to measure adherence to a self-care regimen, the theoretical assumption that self-care activities are self-prescribed has been ignored. In this study, adherence to the self-care activity fitness walking is calculated by comparing actual recorded fitness walking behaviors with the walker's own fitness walking intention.