How well do physical activity questions perform? A European cognitive testing study.

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Limited research exists on the cognitive processes involved in answering physical activity questionnaires (PAQs).
• This study investigated the usability of two common PAQs across diverse European populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the cognitive functioning of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the US National Health Interview Survey - Adult Core Physical Activity Questionnaire (NHIS-PAQ).
• To assess whether these PAQs function as intended across different demographic and cultural groups in Europe.

Main Methods:

• A standardized cognitive interviewing procedure was employed in Belgium, Estonia, Germany, and the UK.
• The International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the US National Health Interview Survey - Adult Core Physical Activity Questionnaire (NHIS-PAQ) were administered to 62 participants.
• At least 15 interviews were conducted per country.

Main Results:

• Both PAQs performed well for young, high-skilled individuals with regular exercise routines.
• Challenges were identified for other participants in understanding PA intensity concepts (moderate, vigorous), classifying activities, recalling routine actions (walking, sitting), and calculating total activity duration.
• Similar issues were noted across countries, suggesting limited profound cultural impact on questionnaire performance.

Conclusions:

• Both IPAQ-SF and NHIS-PAQ were found to be difficult and user-unfriendly for a significant portion of respondents.
• Cognitive limitations hinder respondents' ability to provide the precise physical activity quantity and intensity data desired for scientific research.
• Investigating respondent perspectives is crucial for enhancing the quality of self-reported physical activity data.