A Study of Factors Influencing Health Perception in the Elderly

Lee, Young Hee; Choi, Soo Jeong

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing health perception in the elderly, to provide the basic data for health behavior program and nursing intervention. The subjects of this study were 240 elderly person over the age 60, living in Seoul and Kangnung. They were conveniently sampled for this study and the data was collected from June 1999 to September 1999. The instruments for this study were the Health Perception Questionaire developed by Ware(1979), the OARS Functional Assessment Questionaire (Duke University 1978), and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control by Wallston, Wallston, and De Vills(1978). The data were analyzed by using SPSS Win computer Program. The results are as follows; 1. The total mean score of the health perception was 52.02(S.D=+/-7.07) in a range of 33 to 69, and the mean score of the functional status was 27.02 (SD=+/-2.75) in a range of zero to 28 and the mean score of the health locus of control was 65.66(S.D=+/-8.68) in a range of 43 to 90. And The mean scores on the HLOC subscales were HLOC-I: 23.73+/-4.56 (range: 6-30), HLOC-P: 23.07+/-4.74 (range: 6-30), HLOC-C: 18.55+/-4.03 (range: 11-30). 2. There was a significant positive correlation between health perception and functional status(r=.216, p=.001), and health perception and the health locus of control(HLOC) were not correlated at the level of statistical significance. However, the HLOC-I and health perception were correlated positively(r=.328, p=.000), and the HLOC-P were correlated negatively (r=-.129, p=.046). 3. There was a significant difference statistically in the degree of health perception according to the age(F=3.351, p=.002), spouse(t=2.232, p=.021), education level(F=7.373, p=.001), disease(t=3.639, p=.000), group activity (t=2.458, p=.015). drink(t=2.327, p=.021). 4. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of health perception was internal health locus of control. A combination of HOLC-I, functional status, HLOC-P, group activity explained 17.9% of the variance for health perception in the elderly. In conclusion, the results of this study show that internal health locus of control factor is very important in explaining the health perception for the elderly. Therefore, it will be considered internal health locus of control factor in nursing intervention and program in order to enforce the health behavior for elderly people.