Getting healthcare staff more active: the mediating role of self-efficacy

Objectives. Physical activity has been associated with positive health outcomes. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between knowledge of physical activity, social support, self‐efficacy, perceived barriers to physical activity, and level of physical activity among healthcare employees and students in a National Health Service (NHS) Trust.Design. This study was secondary analysis of questionnaire data on the health and well‐being of staff and students within the NHS.Method. A total of 325 student nurses and 1,452 NHS employees completed the questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, zero‐order correlations, and structural equation modelling.Results. Self‐efficacy fully mediated the relationship between social support, perceived barriers, and level of physical activity in the student sample and partially mediated the relationship between social support, perceived barriers, and level of physical activity in the healthcare staff sample. Knowledge of physical activity had no significant effect on physical activity.Conclusion. Findings suggest that instead of instilling knowledge, interventions to promote physical activity among healthcare staff and students should enhance social support and self‐efficacy and also to remove perceived barriers to physical activity