Predicting Factors of Physical Activity among Children with CongenitalHeart Disease after Corrective SurgeryOA

Objective:Many children with fully corrected congenital heart disease(CHD)avoid physicalactivity(PA).This descriptive study sought to determine child and parental factors that could predict PAlevels in Thai dhildren after corrective surgery.Methods:Ninety schoolaged children with fully correctedCHD were recruited from a cardiology clinic at a university hospital in northern Thailand.Data collectioninvolved five validated questionnaires:(1)the Modified Thai Adolescent''s Fhysical Activity Questionnaire,(2)the Child Health Status Questionnaire-Forms I and II1,(3)the Parental Knowledge on School-agedChildrer''s PhysicalActivity Scale,(4)the Perceived Self-efficacy to Physical Activity Questionnaire,and(5)the Parntal Bonding Instrument.The analysis included descriptive statistics and stepwise multipleregression.Results:Results showed that the physical activity(PA.)levels,assessed through total energyexpenditure,of child ran with CHD were below the recommended levels after treatment(t=-8.33,p<0.001).There were sigrificant correlations between PA and factors such as a child''s perceived health status,PAself-efficacy,and parentaloverprotection(r=0.39,p<0.050;r=0.46,p<0.050;r=0.25,p<0.050,respectively).After adjustment for demographic data and CHD type,these factors had no association with a child''s PA.Only two factors predicted childhood PA—the child''s perceived health status and PA self-efficacy whichcould explain27.3%of the variance of PA.(p<0.001).Conclusion:The study highlights the necessity forinterventions to enhance childrer''s perception of their health status and PA self-efficacy to increase theirphysical activity levels.