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This paper elicited context specific underlying beliefs for physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption and smoke-free behaviour from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), and then determined whether the TPB explained significant variation in intentions and behaviour over a 1 month period in a sample of grade 7-9 (age 12-16 years) adolescents. Eighteen individual interviews and one focus group were used to elicit student beliefs. Analyses of this data produced behavioural, normative and control beliefs which were put into a TPB questionnaire completed by 183 students at time 1 and time 2. The Path analyses from the main study showed that the attitude/intention relationship was moderately large for fruit and vegetable consumption and small to moderate for being smoke free. Perceived behavioural control had a large effect on being smoke free and a moderately large effect for fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Intention had a large direct effect on all three behaviours. Common (e.g. feel better, more energy) and behaviour-specific (e.g., prevent yellow fingers, control my weight) beliefs emerged across the three health behaviours. These novel findings, to the adolescent population, support the importance of specific attention being given to each of the behaviours in future multi-behavioural interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial health incentives, such as paying people to exercise, remain controversial despite widespread implementation. This focus group study explored the acceptability of incentives among a sample of Canadian cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients (n = 15). Focus groups were conducted between March and April 2013 until further sampling ceased to produce new analytical concepts. A thematic analysis approach was adopted in analysing the data. Three broad themes emerged from the focus groups. First, ethical concerns were prominent. Half of participants disagreed with the incentive approach believing that it was unfair, unnecessary or a waste of limited resources. Second, ethical concerns were mitigated in considering a range of incentive features including type, size and source. Specifically, privately sponsored (not government funded) health-promoting voucher-based incentives (e.g. grocery or gym vouchers) were perceived to be highly acceptable. Third, if designed like this, then financial incentives were considered potentially effective in motivating behaviour change and in reducing economic barriers to exercise participation. Overall, the majority of participants welcomed incentives if ethical concerns were addressed through thoughtful incentive programme design. The results of this focus group study will inform the design of a financial health incentive feasibility RCT to promote post-CR programme exercise compliance in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]