| Background. It has been estimated that more than 40% of all illness and premature death in the United States is related to lifestyle choices (DHHS, 1996). The Navy Health Promotion policy ensures military readiness, maximizes individual performance, and reduces the cost of military health care through programs of physical fitness, the maintenance of good health and the prevention of disease (1992). With nearly half a million people on the Navy's active payroll, and more than 1.9 million retirees, the Navy is one of the nation's largest employers offering health care coverage to its personnel (DOD, 2000). Thus, the Navy has a vested interest in reducing the costly diseases of lifestyle, as well as in meeting the demand that its fighting force be fit, healthy, and ready to perform at all times. Since 1994 the Navy has lost approximately 2000 service members per year due to Physical Readiness Test (PRT) failures and not being physically fit (Navy Times, 1999). Although there has been a great deal of speculation as to what influences Navy personnel to engage in exercise, thus far there has not been a systematic study of the variables of health perceptions, physical self-efficacy, perceived barriers to exercise, and exercise behaviors in those who passed the PRT compared to those who failed.; Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among health perceptions, physical self-efficacy, perceived barriers to exercise, and exercise behaviors in two groups: Navy service members who were deemed physically fit as measured by success on the Physical Readiness Test (PRT) and those who were not deemed physically fit as measured by failure on the PRT.; Method. A descriptive correlational study design was used. Data were collected on a purposive sample of 355 active duty Navy service members. The Health Perceptions of Navy Service Members questionnaire was utilized which measured health perceptions, physical self-efficacy, perceived exercise barriers, exercise behaviors, and demographic data.; Results. Logistic regression correlations were calculated and level of education, race, rank, weight, gender, and exercise behaviors were significant predictors of personal physical fitness. The odds of being physically fit and passing the PRT were 3 times greater for females and 4 times greater for the subjects who held a college degree relative to those with only a High School Diploma. Being overweight increased the odds of not passing the PRT and being physically unfit by 92%. Of those subjects who self-reported engaging in exercise the odds were a 100% more likely that they would pass the PRT and be physically fit.; Conclusions. The results have important implications in the design and implementation of interventional health education programs and Navy health promotion policies targeted at improving the level of physical fitness. |
