DETERMINANTS OF EXERCISE AND AEROBIC FITNESS IN OUTPATIENTS WITH ARTHRITIS

Factory that influenced exercise behaviors and aerobic fitness were id entified in 100 outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthriti s, Data included perceived health status, benefits of and barriers to exercise, and impact of arthritis on health; demographic and biologic characteristics; and past exercise behavior. Exercise measures include d range-of-motion and strengthening exercises, 7-day activity recall, and the exercise subscale of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile. A n aerobic fitness level was obtained on each subject by bicycle ergome ter testing. The theoretical model predicted 20% of the variance in co mposite exercise scores but none of the variance in aerobic fitness le vels. Perceived benefits of exercise was a significant predictor of ex ercise participation, Subjects with less formal education, longer dura tion of arthritis, and higher impact of arthritis scores perceived few er benefits of exercise, while subjects who reported exercising in the ir youth perceived more benefits of exercise.