Determinants of Health Promoting Lifestyle of College Students

Lee, Mi Ra

Abstract

This study was undertaken in order to examine the relationship of self-efficacy, control, perceived health status, self-esteem, social support, and demographic characteristics to health promoting lifestyle of college students, and to determine factors affecting health promoting lifestyle of college students. The subjects were 92 students of one university in Taejon. The instruments used for this study were a survey of general characteristics, health promoting lifestyle(44 items), self-efficacy (28 items), self-esteem(10 items), control(8 items), perceived health status( 1 item), and social support(12 items) Analysis of data was done by use of mean, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression with SAS program. The results of this study are as follows. 1) The average item score for the health promoting lifestyles was low at 2.30. n the sub-categories, the highest degree of performance was interpersonal support(2.90), and the lowest degree was exercise(1.67). 2) Male students showed a significant higher score in exercise subscale than female students. Students who had more income had higher scores in self actualization subscale. Students who's family had experienced severe disease had higher scores in health responsibility and interpersonal support subscale. Students who had experienced exercise had higher scores interpersonal support, and stress management subscale. 3) Significant correlation between perceived health status and self-efficacy, perceived health status and self-esteem, control and self-efficacy, control and self-esteem, control and social support, self-esteem and self-efficacy was found. 4) Self-efficacy and control revealed significant correlations with total health promoting lifestyle and all subscales of health promoting lifestyle except self actualization. A significant correlation between perceived health status and self actualization subscale was found. Self-esteem revealed significant correlations only with self actualization and interpersonal support subscale. 5) Significant correlations were found between most of the subscales of total health promoting lifestyle. 6) Self-efficacy was the highest factor predicting health promoting lifestyles of college students (30.55%). Self-efficacy and control accounted for 36.55% in health promoting lifestyle of college students.