Health behaviour: the role of health as a personal life concern
Hannah, T.E.
Canadian Journal of Public Health 78(3): 165-167
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-4263 PMID: 3607692 Document Number: 290809
The study reported here presents the results of an analysis of health concern as a determinant of health behaviour. A sample of 133 adults was administered a battery of questionnaires designed to measure health as a personal life concern, health as a value, health locus of control, psychological hardiness, happiness, health rating and health behaviour. In a multiple regression analysis with an index of health behaviour as the dependent variable, the only health-related variables to enter the equation were health concern and self rating of health status. Specifically, and contrary to previous research, neither health as a value nor health locus of control or any of it components were predictors of health behaviour. The findings suggest that the health behaviour of individual is more likely determined by their present health concern in combination with their perceived health status rather than by their evaluation of health as an abstract value, their health locus of control, or their stated beliefs about the efficacy of various healthy behaviours.