Knowledge, attitudes and practices of hospital-based staff regarding physical activity at a private hospital in Johannesburg

BACKGROUND: Physical activity has been established as an important component to incorporate into a healthy lifestyle. Hospital-based staff are also threatened by the risks of sedentary lifestyles, despite their association with a healthcare environment. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of private hospital-based staff regarding physical activity in Johannesburg. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed with a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics. A p-value less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: A total number of 217 participants responded to the questionnaire. The majority of participants (n = 179; 82.49%) displayed excellent knowledge of physical activity, had a good attitude towards physical activity (n = 157; 72.35%) and displayed satisfactory practices (n = 137; 63.13%). Participants with the highest level of education had better mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores as opposed to those with lower levels of education. There was a statistically significant difference amongst staff categories in terms of knowledge (p = 0.004) and practice scores (p = 0.031). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference amongst different levels of education in terms of knowledge (p = 0.000), attitude (p = 0.02) and practice scores (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Staff members who participated in the study displayed only satisfactory physical activity practices. The hospital's employee wellness programme should establish appropriate strategies to improve staff practices of physical activity in order to promote health.