Investigating the beliefs of Saudi females regarding physical activity: a qualitative exploration

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Saudi women have been deprived of equal access to and opportunities for an active lifestyle due to sociocultural restrictions. Using the theory of planned behaviour, this elicitation study aimed to explore the salient beliefs of young Saudi women aged 18–35 regarding physical activity (PA).

Methods

A descriptive qualitative methodology was utilized using a semi-structured interview. A total of 25 transcribed interviews were coded. Content analysis was used to identify the salient beliefs and to rank-order the beliefs using an adaptation of Burnard’s model.

Findings

Thirty-five salient beliefs were identified as dominant factors in the decision to engage in PA. The salient beliefs about PA are classified as positive (related to advantages, social approval, and enabling) and negative (related to disadvantages, social disapproval, and barriers). These included behavioural beliefs (concerning physical/psychological well-being and social opportunities), normative beliefs (concerning family, community, international and local media influencers’ expectations), and control beliefs (concerning personal, social, natural, and built environment enablers as well as constraints).

Conclusions

Due to the elicited beliefs, young women may be able to adopt more active lifestyles and change their inactive behaviour. Addressing negative beliefs can help change their inactive behaviour. Strengthening positive beliefs and facilitators is also beneficial.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical activity
• Saudi Arabia
• females
• qualitative research
• Psychosocial factors
• Environmental factors

Acknowledgments

The researchers would like to thank the Deanship of Scientific Research, Qassim University for funding the publication of this project. We would like to thank all study participants for sharing their perspectives with us.

Authors’ contributions

BA: Study design, material preparation, ethics clearance, data collection, and write the original draft. PB: Contributed significantly to design research methods, instruments, ethics clearance, edit manuscript and supervision. TP: Contributed significantly to the design research methods, instruments, writing and review of this manuscript. MA: Ethics clearance (KSU), interviews conduction, scientific review and submit of this manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2023.2296696

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the This study was supported by a scholarship from Qassim University in Saudi Arabia as part of the PhD thesis. In addition, Queensland University of Technology provided financial assistance [NA].

Notes on contributors

Basmah Fehaid H Alharbi

Basmah Fehaid H Alharbi Assistant Professor, research field is Epidemiology and Community Health, Epidemiology, Public Health, Physical Activity, Microbiology and Evidence-based practice.

Philip Baker

Philip Baker Professor with extensive experience in Epidemiology in Public Health, University and Hospital settings.

Toby Pavey

Toby Pavey Associate professor. The research field is Human Movement and Sports Science, Public Health, and Health Services.

Manal F. Alharbi

Manal F. Alharbi Associate professor. The multidisciplinary research field involves Mixed Methods, Qualitative Research, Physical Activity, Quality of Life and Cultural Issues.