Sufficient Exercise and Exercise Behavior among Employees and Lecturers at the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kean University (KKU), Thailand

Abstract

Background: Exercise is apart of health promotion. Sufficient exercise is continuous less than 3 times /week. Exercise should be intense so as to increase the pulse rate, cause sweating and result in fatigue. The benefits of exercise include improved health, better social life and mental health. The sample group consisted of employees at the Faculty of Medicine. The data regarding exercise within this group was insufficient so a new study was undertaken.

Objective: The purpose of this research was to monitor and measure employees and lecturers at the Faculty of Medicine Khon Kaen University (KKU)

Study design: Decriptive study

Setting: Faculty of Medicine, KKU

Population and Samples: The population of the study consisted of 3,401 subjects at the Faculty of Medicine KKU. A stratified random sample of 1,671 subjects consisted of 965 (shift workers) and 706 (day workers).

Research tool and data collection: Self-administered questionnaires were developed which included information in relation to demographics, exercise data and recommended exercise data. The researchers sent the questionnaires to the sample of 1,671 and waited for the returned questionnaires.

Analysis of data: The data analysis used the ready made computer program SPSS-PC version 11 to calculate descriptive statistic frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation to within 95 %confidence interval (CI).

Results: The response rate of the returned questionnaire was 68%. This consisted of 648 shift workers (67%) and non-shift workers 488 (69%). 75.2% of the subjects were females. The sample aged between 18 and 60. The average age being 38.1 years (SD=8.5). The results showed that 64.4% (95%CI: 59.4, 65.2) of the subjects exercised regularly. However sufficient exercise within the subject group was only 6.2 % (95%CI 4.9, 7.7). In this group the data showed that running and jogging as a form of exercise was (57.7%) followed by aerobic dance (32.4%) and bicycling at 25.2 % respectively. 81% of the subjects said they like to exercise in the evening including near their residence (46.5%) and the exercise grounds in KKU (41.2 %). 42.2% of the subjects preferred to exercise alone. The top three reasons respondents said they like to exercise was for good health (88.5%), relaxation (65.0%), and diet (49.7%). The top three reasons given for not exercising were; no time (81.1%), tired from work (72.5%) and unsuitable place to exercise (24.8%).

Conclusion: Of the sample subjects who took part in sufficient exercise the top three types of exercise included running, jogging, followed by bicycling and aerobic dance. Most respondents liked to exercise in the evening. The research findings also found that subjects usually like to exercise near their accommodations.