François Boudreau

Predicting the stages of smoking acquisition according to the theory of planned behavior

PURPOSE The goal of the present study was to determine the variables from the theory of planned behavior that are responsible for differentiating the stages of smoking acquisition. METHODS A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 360 secondary I level students from a possible population of 500 students. This questionnaire was designed by the researchers according to Ajzen and Fishbeins and Ajzens recommendations regarding the predictive model variables. It also contained sociodemographic and personal variables. Data from this cross-sectional study were analyzed using multivariate analysis. RESULTS The multivariate analysis of variance indicated an overall significant difference in terms of the three psychosocial variables (Pillais approximation F12,867 = 25.22; p < or = 0.000). The analyses of variance showed that the variables attitude (F4,289 = 112.25; p = 0.0001), subjective norm (F4,289 = 23.48; p = 0.0001), and perceived behavioral control (F4,289 = 87.92; p = 0.0001) contributed to differentiating the stages of smoking acquisition. The discriminant function analysis indicated that attitude (0.826) and perceived behavioral control (0.725) dominate the construct; the contribution of the subjective norm (0.375) is less important. Finally, these variables from the theory of planned behavior permitted the correct classification of 68.4% of adolescents into the stages of smoking acquisition. CONCLUSION The application of the theory of planned behavior seems to increase understanding of the stages of smoking acquisition. The distribution of students in the five stages shows that in the advanced stages, refraining from smoking is more difficult, and that smoking advantages surpass disadvantages. These findings represent only a step toward the development of interventions aimed at warning adolescents against smoking.

Understanding physical activity intentions among French Canadians with type 2 diabetes: an extension of Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour

BackgroundRegular physical activity is considered a cornerstone for managing type 2 diabetes. However, in Canada, most individuals with type 2 diabetes do not meet national physical activity recommendations. When designing a theory-based intervention, one should first determine the key determinants of physical activity for this population. Unfortunately, there is a lack of information on this aspect among adults with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to fill this gap using an extended version of Ajzens Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as reference.MethodsA total of 501 individuals with type 2 diabetes residing in the Province of Quebec (Canada) completed the study. Questionnaires were sent and returned by mail.ResultsMultiple hierarchical regression analyses indicated that TPB variables explained 60% of the variance in intention. The addition of other psychosocial variables in the model added 7% of the explained variance. The final model included perceived behavioral control (β = .38, p < .0001), moral norm (β = .29, p < .0001), and attitude (β = .14, p < .01).ConclusionThe findings suggest that interventions aimed at individuals with type 2 diabetes should ensure that people have the necessary resources to overcome potential obstacles to behavioral performance. Interventions should also favor the development of feelings of personal responsibility to exercise and promote the advantages of exercising for individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Development of a Fully Automated, Web-Based, Tailored Intervention Promoting Regular Physical Activity Among Insufficiently Active Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Integrating the I-Change Model, Self-Determination Theory, and Motivational Interviewing Components

Background Type 2 diabetes is a major challenge for Canadian public health authorities, and regular physical activity is a key factor in the management of this disease. Given that fewer than half of people with type 2 diabetes in Canada are sufficiently active to meet the recommendations, effective programs targeting the adoption of regular physical activity (PA) are in demand for this population. Many researchers argue that Web-based, tailored interventions targeting PA are a promising and effective avenue for sedentary populations like Canadians with type 2 diabetes, but few have described the detailed development of this kind of intervention. Objective This paper aims to describe the systematic development of the Web-based, tailored intervention, Diabète en Forme, promoting regular aerobic PA among adult Canadian francophones with type 2 diabetes. This paper can be used as a reference for health professionals interested in developing similar interventions. We also explored the integration of theoretical components derived from the I-Change Model, Self-Determination Theory, and Motivational Interviewing, which is a potential path for enhancing the effectiveness of tailored interventions on PA adoption and maintenance. Methods The intervention development was based on the program-planning model for tailored interventions of Kreuter et al. An additional step was added to the model to evaluate the intervention’s usability prior to the implementation phase. An 8-week intervention was developed. The key components of the intervention include a self-monitoring tool for PA behavior, a weekly action planning tool, and eight tailored motivational sessions based on attitude, self-efficacy, intention, type of motivation, PA behavior, and other constructs and techniques. Usability evaluation, a step added to the program-planning model, helped to make several improvements to the intervention prior to the implementation phase. Results The intervention development cost was about CDN

Effectiveness of Computer Tailoring Versus Peer Support Web-Based Interventions in Promoting Physical Activity Among Insufficiently Active Canadian Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

59,700 and took approximately 54 full-time weeks. The intervention officially started on September 29, 2014. Out of 2300 potential participants targeted for the tailored intervention, approximately 530 people visited the website, 170 people completed the registration process, and 83 corresponded to the selection criteria and were enrolled in the intervention. Conclusions Usability evaluation is an essential step in the development of a Web-based tailored intervention in order to make pre-implementation improvements. The effectiveness and relevance of the theoretical framework used for the intervention will be analyzed following the process and impact evaluation. Implications for future research are discussed.

Self-regulation resources and physical activity participation among adults with type 2 diabetes:

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes is a major challenge for Canadian public health authorities, and regular physical activity is a key factor in the management of this disease. Given that less than half of people with type 2 diabetes in Canada are sufficiently active to meet the Canadian Diabetes Associations guidelines, effective programs targeting the adoption of regular physical activity are in demand for this population. Many researchers have argued that Web-based interventions targeting physical activity are a promising avenue for insufficiently active populations; however, it remains unclear if this type of intervention is effective among people with type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE This research project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of two Web-based interventions targeting the adoption of regular aerobic physical activity among insufficiently active adult Canadian Francophones with type 2 diabetes. METHODS A 3-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial with 2 experimental groups and 1 control group was conducted in the province of Quebec, Canada. A total of 234 participants were randomized at a 1:1:1 ratio to receive an 8-week, fully automated, computer-tailored, Web-based intervention (experimental group 1); an 8-week peer support (ie, Facebook group) Web-based intervention (experimental group 2); or no intervention (control group) during the study period. RESULTS The primary outcome of this study is self-reported physical activity level (total min/week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity). Secondary outcomes are attitude, social influence, self-efficacy, type of motivation, and intention. All outcomes are assessed at baseline and 3 and 9 months after baseline with a self-reported questionnaire filled directly on the study websites. CONCLUSIONS By evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of 2 Web-based interventions characterized by different behavior change perspectives, findings of this study will contribute to advances in the field of physical activity promotion in adult populations with type 2 diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): ISRCTN15747108; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN15747108 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6eJTi0m3r).

Improving Health and Reducing Comorbidity Associated with HIV: The Development of TAVIE en santé, a Web-Based Tailored Intervention to Support the Adoption of Health Promoting Behaviors among People Living with HIV

Physical activity plays a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is important to understand why so few adults with type 2 diabetes regularly engage in physical activity. The role of self-regulation in the context of health-related behavior adherence, especially in terms of physical activity engagement and adherence, has largely been reviewed based on the strength energy model. Building on this line of research, the aim of this theoretical work was to highlight how self-regulation and ego depletion can influence the lower rate of physical activity participation among adults with type 2 diabetes, compared to adults from the general population.

Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to predict exercise intention in obese adults.

Background. In the domain of health behavior change, the deployment and utilization of information and communications technologies as a way to deliver interventions appear to be promising. This article describes the development of a web-based tailored intervention, TAVIE en santé, to support people living with HIV in the adoption of healthy behaviors. Methods. This intervention was developed through an Intervention Mapping (IM) framework and is based on the theory of planned behavior. Results. Crucial steps of IM are the selection of key determinants of behavior and the selection of useful theory-based intervention methods to change the targeted determinants (active ingredients). The content and the sequence of the intervention are then created based on these parameters. TAVIE en santé is composed of 7 interactive web sessions hosted by a virtual nurse. It aims to develop and strengthen skills required for behavior change. Based on an algorithm using individual cognitive data (attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention), the number of sessions, theory-based intervention methods, and messages contents are tailored to each user. Conclusion. TAVIE en santé is currently being evaluated. The use of IM allows developing intervention with a systematic approach based on theory, empirical evidence, and clinical and experiential knowledge.