HEALTH RISK APPRAISAL IN AN OCCUPATIONAL SETTING AND ITS IMPACT ON EXERCISE BEHAVIOR

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a health risk appr aisal (HRA) activity on exercise intention and behavior modification. In a mixed experimental and quasiexperimental design, three groups of subjects were formed, (1) preintervention, (2) postintervention, and ( 3) control. In the experimental design, the results showed that the em ployees in the postintervention group, had immediately after the HRA a ctivity, an increased intention to exercise regularity compared with t he employees in the preintervention group. According to the quasiexper imental design, the employees exposed to the HRA activity did not, 2 m onths later, report regular exercise behavior that differed from that of the employees in the comparison group. It is suggested that art HRA activity should be supplemented with regular additional interventions over a given period of time to be successful in supporting the proces s of translating exercise intention into behavior.