Korean J Adult Nurs.  2011 Aug;23(4):403-411.

Preventive Behavior and Health Belief about Hepatitis A of Adults in their Twenties to Thirties

• Park JY

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was designed to identify the relationship between preventive behavior and health belief about Hepatitis A among young adults.
METHODS
The sample consisted of 197 participants between the ages of twenty and forty. The data were collected from May 3 to May 30 2011 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi2 test, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Preventive Behavior's Scale about Hepatitis A and Health Belief's Scale about Hepatitis A were used for data collection.
RESULTS
The mean scores of health behavior (2.97+/-0.34) and preventive behavior (2.46+/-0.30) about Hepatitis A were about average degree. The participant's characteristics with preventive behavior were significantly different according to type of residence (chi2=4.74, p=.040), experience of obtained knowledge about Hepatitis A (chi2=5.68 p=.018) and attitude about Hepatitis A (chi2=15.20, p<.001). Significant correlations were found between health behavior and preventive behavior with Hepatitis A (r=.20, p=.005). The preventive behavior had a significant positive correlation with susceptibility (r=.22, p=.001), severity (r=.17, p=.015), and benefit (r=.32, p<.001) towards Hepatitis A as the details of the health belief.
CONCLUSION
These findings indicate that health belief may be necessary to improve compliance with preventive behavior on Hepatitis A among young adults. It is necessary to develop the strategy of reinforcing health belief in complying with preventive behavior for preventing the occurrence of Hepatitis A.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Compliance
Health Behavior
Hepatitis
Hepatitis A
Humans
Young Adult