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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Health behaviours and health: evidence that the relationship is not conditional on income adequacy.

This study used Canadian data to examine whether the relationships between two health behaviours (physical activity and smoking) and two measures of health (self-perceived health status and number of chronic health conditions) are conditional on income adequacy. Studies that have investigated the manner in which socioeconomic circumstances, such as income adequacy, and health behaviours interact to influence health are few in number and characterized by inconsistent findings. In addition, there is a complete absence of published Canadian research that has explored these relationships. I investigated the relationship between health behaviours and health by income adequacy with a secondary analysis of data from the first cycle of the National Population Health Survey (NPHS), conducted by Statistics Canada in 1994-95. The sample consisted of 11.941 NPHS respondents 20-64 years of age who did not have an illness or disability that prevented them from being employed. As a whole, findings from a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses did not provide adequate evidence to conclude that the effects of physical activity and smoking on self-perceived health status and chronic health conditions are conditional on income adequacy. Instead, findings showed that the health behaviours each had a similar degree of influence on the self-perceived health status and number of chronic health conditions of respondents at all income adequacy levels. Moreover, the magnitude of the relationships between the health behaviours and health measures was very small. By enhancing knowledge about both the nature and magnitude of the relationships among Canadians' income adequacy, health behaviours, and health, this study makes a significant contribution to the small body of research that has explored the possibility that the relationship between health behaviours and health varies by socioeconomic circumstances. I conclude the paper with a discussion of the implications that the findings have for public health policies and programs.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Health behaviour and health status of nursing staff--a review of the literature].

Presently around 1.1 million nurses are employed in the German health care system. Due to increased workload and staff reduction, studies on the health behaviour and health condition of nursing staff are increasingly important. Hence we reviewed the literature on health behaviour and health condition of nursing staff. Articles available in Medline and Embase from 1978 to 2000 were included, focussing on smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, eating habits, body-mass index, dental health status, risk behaviour in traffic, workload, burnout syndrome, sports and recreation, job satisfaction, subjective health status, subjective complaints, vaccinations and quality of life. Health behaviour was divided in unhealthy and healthy behaviour. It became obvious that most of the studies focussed on investigation of unhealthy behaviour, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse and poor eating habits. Health promotion was mainly seen as avoiding these unhealthy habits. Only in current studies definitions of health promoting behaviour were developed as a part of a comprehensive life-style.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Associations between health behaviours and health related fitness.

OBJECTIVE: To examine relations between health behaviours and health related fitness. METHODS: Subjects were a convenience sample of 350 healthy adults (172 men, 178 women). Covariance analysis adjusted data for significant influences of age and socioeconomic status. Obesity was assessed by anthropometry and body density. Cardiovascular fitness was assessed and various metabolic measurements were made. Questionnaires on physical activity and health related behaviours were completed. RESULTS: Cigarette abstinence was associated with a small abdominal circumference (men) and a low trunk/extremity skinfold ratio (women). Obesity indices (body mass index, total skinfolds, percent fat, and abdominal circumference) were negatively associated with perceived fitness. Leisure activity and exercise frequency were also negatively linked to some obesity indices. Blood glucose, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were favourably influenced by perceived activity, exercise frequency, and perceived fitness, but not by exercise intensity. Abstinence from coffee was associated with a low cholesterol/HDL ratio (men only). Principal component, discriminant, and multiple logistic regression analyses showed only weak clustering of habitual physical activity with other positive health behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Although multiphasic health promotion programmes are economical, favourable interactions between individual programme elements seem likely to be quite limited.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Health behaviours and health in adolescence as predictors of educational level in adulthood: a follow-up study from Finland.

A longitudinal study design is used to find out whether health and health behaviours at age 12-16 predict educational level in early adulthood. The purpose is to study direct (based on health) and indirect (based on health behaviours) health-related selection mechanisms in adolescence. These mechanisms contribute to the allocation of people into various educational positions and thus to the creation of socio-economic health differences in adulthood. Baseline data at age 12-16 from the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey (Finland) in 1981, 1983 and 1985 were linked with data on highest attained education at age 27-33, obtained from the Register of Completed Education in 1998. In the baseline surveys, all 12-, 14- and 16-year-olds born within a specified range of birth dates in July 1964, 1966, 1968, or 1970 were included in the samples (N=11149). The response rate in the mailed surveys varied between 74% and 88% in boys and between 85% and 92% in girls. Associations between baseline variables and attained educational level were assessed by polychotomous logistic regression analysis.Health-compromising behaviours and poor perceived health in adolescence predicted low educational level in adulthood. Several behaviours had independent associations with attained educational level, while associations between health and educational level were mostly accounted for by school achievement and sociodemographic background, which were strong and independent predictors of educational level. The study indicates that in adolescence, indirect selection based on health behaviours, rather than direct selection by perceived health, contributes to the production of socio-economic health differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Delinquency, health behaviour and health.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between delinquency and health in a sample of adolescents and young adults (aged 13-24) and examined whether the association could have been due to delinquency-related differences in demographic, socio-economic and life-style factors. METHOD: The study is based on cross-sectional data from a sample of 3677 adolescents and young adults interviewed as part of a survey of Dutch households. Health, health behaviour, and delinquency were assessed through self-report measures. RESULTS: Delinquency was significantly related to three of the four measures of health behaviour (smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug use), even after control for demographic and socio-economic factors. Delinquency was also significantly associated with all three measures of health assessed in this study (somatic symptoms, general health, and chronic conditions). However, only minimal support was found for the hypothesis that the association between delinquency and health was mediated by differences in health behaviour or demographic/socio-economic differences. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent delinquents are less healthy than non-delinquents. Potential causes for this relationship are proposed. Possibly, personality factors, such as hostility, or psychosocial stress might explain why delinquency correlates with health.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Control constructs: Do they mediate the relation between educational attainment and health behaviour?

Health promoting behaviours seem to be more prevalent among people with higher socio-economic status (SES). The main purpose of this article was to study (a) the relationship between education (as a dimension of SES) and intention and health behaviour (fruit/vegetable consumption), (b) the relationship between education and control conceptualizations (health locus of control (HLC), response-efficacy and self-efficacy) and (c) to what extent the relationship between education and intention/health behaviour (fruit/vegetable consumption) was mediated through different control beliefs. The results showed that women with higher education had higher intentions to consume fruit/vegetables and consumed fruit/vegetables more frequently. Higher education was associated with higher self-efficacy and response-efficacy beliefs and less belief in HLC-chance. These control beliefs partly mediated the education-intention/behaviour relationship.

Educational Status↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health knowledge, health behaviour and health status among a 65-74-year-old population in eastern Finland.

Health knowledge, health behaviour and health status was studied among a 65-74-year-old population in eastern Finland by using self-administered questionnaires, interviews and health examination. Among men, low health knowledge was related to smoking and poor self-perceived health status. Among women, low health knowledge was related to poor self-perceived health status, lowered functional capacity, abstinence from alcohol, high fat consumption, and low coffee consumption. These findings were discussed in the light of their implications for health education.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Health seeking behaviour, health system experience and tuberculosis case finding in Gambians with cough.

BACKGROUND: Studies in Africa investigating health-seeking behaviour by interviewing tuberculosis patients have revealed patient knowledge issues and significant delays to diagnosis. We aimed to study health-seeking behaviour and experience of those with cough in The Gambia and to identify whether they had tuberculosis. METHODS: During a round of a population under 3-monthly demographic surveillance, we identified people >10 years old who had been coughing > or = 3 weeks. A questionnaire was administered concerning demographic data, cough, knowledge, health seeking, and experience at health facilities. Case finding utilised sputum smear and chest X-ray. RESULTS: 122/29,871 coughing individuals were identified. Of 115 interviewed, 93 (81%) had sought treatment; 76 (81.7%) from the health system. Those that visited an alternative health provider first were significantly older than those who visited the health system first (p = 0.03). The median time to seek treatment was 2 weeks (range 0-106). 54 (58.1%) made their choice of provider because they believed it was right. Of those who left the health system to an alternative provider (n = 13): 7 believed it was the best place, 3 cited cost and 2 failure to improve. 3 cases were identified by sputum analysis, 11 more by X-ray; all had visited the health system first. Total 'excess' cough time was 1079 person weeks. CONCLUSION: The majority of people with cough in this population seek appropriate help early. Improved case detection might be achieved through the use of chest X-ray in addition to sputum smear.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Influence of parents' oral health behaviour on oral health status of their school children: an exploratory study employing a causal modelling technique.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the simultaneous interrelationships between parents' oral health behaviour and the oral health status of their school children. SAMPLE AND METHODS: Subjects comprised 296 pairs of parents (mother or father) and their children at an elementary school in Hiroshima. The child's dental examination was performed using the World Health Organization (WHO) caries diagnostic criteria for decayed teeth (DT) and filled teeth (FT). The Oral Rating Index for Children (ORI-C) was used for the child's gingival health examination. Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) was used for the assessment of the parents' oral health behaviour. A parent-child behavioural model was tested by the linear structural relations (LISREL) programme. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between DT and ORI-C (r = - 0.168; P < 0.01). Correlation was found between ORI-C and oral health behaviour in children (OHB-C) (r = 0.182; P < 0.01). OHB-C was significantly associated with the HU-DBI (r = 0.251; P < 0.001). The hypothesized model after some revisions was found to be consistent with the data (chi(2) = 1.3, d.f. = 6, P = 0.97; Goodness of Fit Index = 0.999). Parents' oral health behaviour affected their children's oral health behaviour (P < 0.001). Children's oral health behaviour affected their DT through its effect on gingival health level. Parents' oral health behaviour also had a significant direct effect on their children's DT (P < 0.05). Children's grade affected both DT and their oral health behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' oral health behaviour could influence their children's gingival health and dental caries directly and/or indirectly through its effect on children's oral health behaviour.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Sexual differences in oral health behaviour and factors associated with oral health behaviour in Japanese young adults.

The aim of this study is to compare the state of oral health behaviour between genders and to analyse factors associated with oral health behaviour by gender in young adults. Anonymous questionnaire data were collected from 527 adults (245 men and 282 women) aged 20-29 years who consulted dentists in Chiba City. The Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney analysis, and logistic regression analysis were used to examine the differences in oral health behaviour and determinants of oral health behaviour between young men and young women. The rate of good behaviour among women were significantly higher than those among men in each oral health behaviour item (toothbrushing frequency p < 0.001; using dental floss p = 0.042; dental check-ups p < 0.001). In women, factors associated with each oral health behaviour were as follows: toothbrushing frequency (family composition p = 0.030); using dental floss (dental health knowledge p = 0.025, employment status p = 0.031), and dental check-ups (age group p = 0.024). In men, a significant relationship was seen only between using dental floss and age group p = 0.025). This study indicated that young women had better oral health behaviour and that more factors were associated with their oral health behaviour in comparison with young men.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Stress and cardiovascular disease risk behaviours: implications for health behaviour change.

This brief paper presents an integrative framework helpful in understanding the relationships between stress and cardiovascular disease risk behaviours. Key concepts such as cardiovascular reactivity, type A behaviour and hostility, ways of coping with both life and illness-related stressors, and the challenges associated with changing risk behaviours can support a patient's behaviour change efforts if communicated in a personally salient manner. Assessing the determinants of health behaviour change facilitates tailoring of interventions and can more precisely identify a patient's needs for referral to a psychologist with expertise in health behaviour issues.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

How important is health behaviour to the health of mothers of lower socio-economic status?

Secondary analysis of the data available from the national sample in the Health and Lifestyle Survey allowed two samples of mothers from Social Classes III Manual and IV+V to be selected and the relationships investigated between two measures of health and a range of potential explanatory variables, including voluntary health behaviour. Analysis of variance was used to establish which sets of factors were significantly and independently associated with each of the measures of health within the two samples. Health behaviour was identified as making an independent, albeit small, contribution in three out of the four analyses.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Some theoretical models in the study of health behaviour: implications for health systems in India.

This paper attempts to highlight some of the presently accepted models of health, behaviour and their usage in explaining illness, sickness and utilisation behaviour. The limitations of each of the model have also been described. Finally an attempt has been made to visualise the applicability of such models on Indian health system. A viable model already tested has been proposed to assess the social patterns of seeking medical care in rural setting in India.

Health Services↗
PubMed2004

Association between health behaviour and self-reported health in Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to examine the associations of the selected health behaviours (daily smoking, frequent strong alcohol use, consumption of fresh vegetables less than 3 days a week and leisure time physical activity less than two/three times a week) to the self-assessed health after adjustment to the age and education in Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. METHODS: Data from cross-sectional surveys carried out in all the above-mentioned countries were used. The methodology and questionnaires of the surveys were standardized between the participating countries within the Finbalt Health Monitor System. Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of self-perceived health status on prevalence of health behaviours. RESULTS: In Finland both women and men rated their health better than both genders in all the Baltic countries. In Finland self-assessment of health is significantly associated with most health behaviours, but in the Baltic counties the associations are weak or unstable. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that in Finland as in many other stable countries self-assessed health status was related to health behaviours and can be used as an indicator of health behaviours. In the Baltic countries, factors other than health behaviours may be more relevant to the self assessment of health status.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Effects of marital transitions on changes in dietary and other health behaviours in US male health professionals.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of change in marital status on health behaviours among men. DESIGN: Longitudinal study of repeated measures of marital status and health behaviours collected at four year intervals (1986-90; 1990-94). SETTING: US male health professionals. PARTICIPANTS: 38 865 men aged 40-75 in 1986. MAIN RESULTS: Relative to men who stayed married over four years, men who became widowed increased their alcohol consumption. Men who become divorced or widowed experienced decreases in body mass index. Compared with men who remained unmarried, men who remarried exhibited increases in body mass index along with decreased physical activity. Becoming divorced or widowed was associated with decreased vegetable intake while remarriage was linked to greater consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Marital termination may adversely affect health and dietary behaviours among men.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Understanding childrens' health behaviour: the implications for health promotion for young people.

Understanding the causes and determinants of young people's health behaviour is central to the development of relevant and effective health promotion programmes. This paper traces the development of health education programmes in the past two decades, identifying the influence of a range of concepts and theories which emerged during that period. Drawing on results from a WHO Cross-National Study of children's health behaviour, the relationships between individual behaviours and a range of social and environmental influences are illustrated, together with the inter-relationship between individual behaviours as 'lifestyles'. The implications for health education programmes from the results are identified and special emphasis is given to the need to communicate effectively with young people through a range of networks and through the media, as well as through traditional school health education. The need to continue research into 'lifestyles' is also stressed.

Adolescent↗