Social cognitive and physical health determinants of exercise adherence for HIV-1 seropositive, early symptomatic men and women.

This study examined social cognitive and physical health factors that might explain variations in exercise adherence in a 3-month supervised exercise intervention for a group of mildly symptomatic, HIV-1 seropositive men and women. The social cognitive predictor variables were outcome expectations and self-efficacy. The physical health predictor variables included CD4+ cell counts, self-report inventories of physical symptoms, and physicians' examinations. Self-report inventories of physical symptoms were associated with physicians' examinations and combined into a composite measure of physical health. Criterion variables included exercise adherence rates, VO2max change, and status as a 'remainder' versus 'drop-out.' The composite measure of physical health emerged as a significant predictor of adherence rate and gave perfect prediction of remainers and a moderate prediction of dropouts. No significant associations were observed between the social cognitive predictors and adherence. Results suggest that for this population physical health status is a better predictor of exercise adherence than either perceived self-efficacy or outcome expectancy.