Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Apr 11;23(1):670.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-15588-w.

Application of theoretical domains framework to explore the enablers and barriers to physical activity among university staff and students: a qualitative study

Lawrence Bismarck Ndupu  1 , Vicki Staples  2 , Sigrid Lipka  2 , Mark Faghy  2 , Nawel Bessadet  3 , Chris Bussell  2
Affiliations

Application of theoretical domains framework to explore the enablers and barriers to physical activity among university staff and students: a qualitative study

Lawrence Bismarck Ndupu et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity is one of the major risk factors for developing several chronic illnesses. However, despite strong evidence indicating the health benefits of physical activity, many university staff and students tend to be physically inactive. University settings provide a stable environment where behaviour change interventions can be implemented across multiple levels of change. The aim of this study is to examine the perceived barriers and enablers to physical activity among staff and students in a university setting, using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), a precursor of COM-B behaviour model.

Methods: This was a qualitative study carried out at a Midlands University in the United Kingdom. Eight group interviews were conducted with the sample (n = 40) consisting of 6 male and 15 female university staff (mean age = 40.5 ± 10.6 years) with different job roles (e.g., academic, administrative, cleaning and catering staff), and 12 male and 7 female students (mean age = 28.6 ± 4.7 years) at different stages of study (e.g., undergraduate, postgraduate, and international students). Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and imported into NVivo12 software, responses were mapped using the TDF where theory-driven deductive content analysis was used for data analysis.

Results: Six prominent domains were identified from the group interviews as enablers and/or barriers to physical activity among university staff and students: Environmental context and resources; intentions; social influences; knowledge; beliefs about capabilities; and social/professional role and identity. The themes emerging from the group interviews fit into all 14 domains of the TDF; however, 71% of the themes fit into the six most prominent domains.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that several enablers and barriers influence university staff and students' capability, opportunity, and motivation to engage in physical activity. This study, therefore, provides a theoretical foundation to inform the development of bespoke interventions to increase physical activity among inactive university staff and students.

Keywords: COM-B model; Content analysis; Group interview; Predictors; University setting.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no competing interest.

References

    1. Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1·9 million participants. Lancet Glob Heal. 2018;6:e1077–86. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30357-7. - DOI - PubMed
    1. World Health Organisation. Global Health Observatory (GHO) data: Prevalence of insufficient physical activity. World Health Organisation. Published 2019. Accessed October 3, 2019. https://www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/physical_activity_text/en/
    1. Kohl HW, Craig CL, Lambert EV, et al. The pandemic of physical inactivity: global action for public health. Lancet. 2012;380(9838):294–305. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60898-8. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lee IM, Shiroma EJ, Lobelo F, et al. Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet. 2012;380(9838):219–29. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61031-9. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Department of Health. Start Active, Stay Active: A Report on Physical Activity for Health from the Four Home Countries’ Chief Medical Officers. Accessed 23 Feb 2021. https://www.sportengland.org/media/2928/dh_128210.pdf