scholarly journals Childhood Socioeconomic Position, Adult Educational Attainment and Health Behaviors: The Role of Psychological Capital and Health Literacy

Author(s):  
Karlijn Massar ◽  
Natalie Kopplin ◽  
Karen Schelleman-Offermans

Socioeconomic circumstances during childhood and adulthood are known to negatively affect health promoting behaviors. On the other hand, psychological capital (PsyCap) and health literacy are positively associated with these lifestyle behaviors. We, therefore, reasoned that PsyCap and health literacy might “buffer” the negative influences of socioeconomic circumstances on health-promoting behaviors. Method: We measured subjective childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and adult educational attainment (as a proxy for adult socioeconomic circumstances), health literacy, PsyCap, and health behaviors (fruits and vegetables consumption, exercise, and sweets and cookies consumption) in a sample of N = 150 individuals (mean age 34.98 years, 66.7% female). Results: Bootstrapped mediation analyses including PsyCap and health literacy as parallel mediators revealed that: (I) The relationship between childhood SEP and (a) fruits and vegetables consumption and (b) exercise was mediated by PsyCap, and (II) the relationship between adult educational attainment and (a) fruits and vegetables consumption and (b) exercise was mediated by PsyCap and health literacy. We found no significant effects for consumption of sweets and cookies. Conclusion: These results suggest that larger studies are warranted that confirm the potential of PsyCap and health literacy in mitigating the negative effects of lower SEP on health behaviors and health outcomes.

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Ziarko ◽  
Łukasz Kaczmarek ◽  
Ewa Mojs

Mediating role of coping styles in the relationship between anxiety and health behaviors of obese adolescents Obesity is one of the major health problems in adolescents. Health-detrimental lifestyle (i.e. lack of physical activity, inappropriate nutrition) as well as maladaptive styles of coping with stress are regarded as belonging among determinants of obesity. The aim of the study was to establish factors mediating between anxiety and diet-related health behaviors. Participants in the study were 113 adolescents with obesity whose body weight was over 97th centile. They were examined using a set of self-report questionnaires to measure anxiety, coping styles and health behaviors. Emotion-focused coping and seeking social contacts (social diversion) were found to act as mediators between adolescents' trait anxiety and their health behaviors. The findings suggest that to enhance obese adolescents' health-promoting behaviors appropriate conditions should be ensured that would not only enable them to express their emotions, but also promote their socializing with peers.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gholamreza Sharifirad ◽  
Mahnoush Reisi ◽  
SeyedHomamodin Javadzade ◽  
AkbarBabaei Heydarabadi ◽  
Firouzeh Mostafavi ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Sena Kaplan ◽  
Sibel Peksoy Kaya

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between nursing students’ awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic and health behaviors with health literacy. METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study comprised 408 students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program at a public university in Turkey. The data were collected online using the Individual Information Form, Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Scale II, and Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32. The percentiles, significance test of the difference between two means, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The mean age of students was 20.89±1.95 and three of them had been diagnosed with COVID-19. It was determined that the students had sufficient health literacy (𝒙̅ =35.97±8.73), and healthy lifestyle behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic were at a moderate level (𝒙̅ =55.76±12.05). The results showed that as awareness of nursing students regarding COVID-19 and precautions against it increased, their mean score of health literacy increased, too (p<.05). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between students’ mean score of healthy lifestyle behaviors in nutrition, physical activity, and stress management and their mean score of health literacy (p<.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: As the results have shown a relationship between nursing students’ awareness of COVID-19 and healthy lifestyle behaviors and health literacy, it is suggested to adapt the health literacy to students’ daily life during the pandemic period.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesile Şenol ◽  
Demet Ünalan ◽  
Ferhan Soyuer ◽  
Mahmut Argün

Background and Aims. Healthy lifestyle behaviors are the major determinant of both prevention health and health related quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and quality of life of elderly individuals living in nursing homes. Methods. The study was performed between October 2008 and 2009, in the city of Kayseri in Turkey, upon 136 individuals, aged 65 and above, living in the Gazioglu Nursing Home. A sociodemographic questionnaire, Standardized Mini Mental Test, Health Promoting Lifestyle Behaviors Profile (HPLP), and WHOQOL-OLD module were used for the gathering of data. Results. The overall HPLP and quality of life (QoL) scores were 118.06±20.54 and 43.45±10.30, respectively. More than half of the participants have higher points than the mean QoL scores. The HPLP scores of these subjects were significantly higher compared to those with lower points than mean QoL scores. There was a positive relationship between the overall HPLP and WHOQOL-OLD mean scores, except for the autonomy and sensorial function domains. Conclusions. The study result showed that health-promoting behaviors are positively associated with better quality of life scores in the elderly subjects living in a nursing home.


2022 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
MoradAli Zareipour ◽  
Elham Nozad ◽  
Somayyeh Khodavandi ◽  
Fatmeh Moharrami ◽  
Fateme Rostampor

Background: One of the effective factors in the healthy living of the elderly is health-promoting behaviors. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and mental health in elderly military veterans in Iran. Methods: Using available sampling method, this descriptive-analytical study was performed on 280 elderly military veterans over 60 years old referred to a military health center in Urmia, Iran. We used a questionnaire comprising three sections as follows: (1) elderly demographic information; (2) health promoting behaviors; and (3) mental health assessment. The collected data were entered into SPSS software v.20 and analyzed by chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The results showed that among the health-promoting behaviors, non-consumption of alcohol, controlling blood pressure, and not smoking had the highest frequency, and the injection of influenza vaccine had the lowest frequency. The relationship between health-promoting behaviors and the level of mental health showed that smoking, stress, alcohol consumption, and not exercising had a significant relationship with anxiety and stress (P < 0.05). Also, the individuals who consumed more fruits and vegetables had less stress than those who consume lower amounts of these foods (P < 0.05). Also, people who consumed low-salt, low-fat, and dairy-based foods, controlled their blood pressure regularly and had received the flu vaccine had a better mental health. Conclusions: According to the results, a special attention should be paid to these factors in planning to teach health-promoting behaviors to improve health and counseling services in the elderly.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 326-326
Author(s):  
Ga-Eun (Grace) Oh

Abstract Globally, as people expect the longer life expectancy than ever before, people have increasing concerns about their health and aging. Although what people believe regarding aging can affect their health behaviors, limited research has investigated which beliefs regarding aging influence health behaviors. Previous research has shown that essentialist beliefs about aging reflect beliefs that the aging process is fixed, while nonessentialist beliefs about aging reflect the beliefs that the aging process is rather malleable. Since beliefs in nonessentialism regarding aging imply the benefits of health-promoting behaviors, we examine if manipulating nonessentialist beliefs about aging could contribute to intentions to engage in health behaviors. We also investigate if age and income might moderate the effect of nonessentialist beliefs. We conducted an experiment with a sample of American participants of varied ages (n = 599). The results showed that compared to essentialist beliefs, nonessentialist beliefs regarding aging significantly increased an intention to eat healthy food but they did not improve intentions of other health-promoting behaviors in terms of regular exercise and consumption of fruits and vegetables. Income moderated the effect of essentialist beliefs on an intention to eat fruits and vegetables. Specifically, nonessentialist beliefs had a positive effect among high-income people but rendered a negative effect among low-income people. Together, the present findings provide initial evidence that nonessentialist beliefs have a potential to promote health behaviors and call for the further investigation of the effects of educating nonessentialist beliefs on actual health behaviors and the boundary conditions of the effects.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-129
Author(s):  
Sahar Khoshravesh ◽  
Fourozan Rezapur-Shahkolai ◽  
Zahra Taheri-Kharameh ◽  
Babak Moeini ◽  
Khadijeh Bandehelahi ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 154041532110117
Author(s):  
Cheryl A. Smith-Miller ◽  
Diane C. Berry ◽  
Cass T. Miller

Introduction: Evidence suggests that gender may influence many aspects of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) self-management (SM) and we posit that limited English language–proficient Latinx immigrants face additional challenges. Methods: Instruments and semi-structured interviews were used to examine gender differences on health literacy, diabetes knowledge, health-promoting behaviors, diabetes, eating and exercise self-efficacy (SE), and T2DM SM practices among a cohort of limited English language–proficient Latinx immigrants. Statistical and qualitative analysis procedures were performed comparing males and females. Results: Thirty persons participated. Males tended to be older, have higher educational achievement, and more financial security than females. Physiologic measures tended worse among female participants. Health literacy and exercise SE scores were similar, but females scored lower on Eating and Diabetes SE. Forty-seven percent ( n= 9) of the women reported a history of gestational diabetes mellitus and a majority of men ( n = 7) cited difficulty with excessive alcohol. Consumption: Males appeared to receive more SM support compared to females. Females more frequently noted how family obligations and a lack of support impeded their SM. Work environments negatively influenced SM practices. Conclusion: Men and women have unique SM challenges and as such require individualized strategies and support to improve T2DM management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Chen ◽  
Hongfu Ren ◽  
Na Wang ◽  
Yaqing Xiong ◽  
Fei Xu

Abstract Background To examine associations of socioeconomic position (SEP), separately indicated by education, monthly family average income (FAI) and occupation, with health literacy (HL) among adults in regional China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among urban and rural adults (aged 25–69 years) who were randomly selected, using the probability proportionate to size sampling approach, from Nanjing municipality of China during October and December of 2016. HL, the outcome variable, was assessed using the Chinese Resident Health Literacy Scale. SEP, our independent variable, was separately measured with educational attainment, monthly family average income and occupation. Logistic regression models were introduced to examine SEP-HL association with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Totally, 8698 participants completed the survey. The proportion of participants with unweighted and weighted adequate HL was 18.0% (95%CI = 17.2, 18.8%) and 19.9% (95%CI = 16.6, 23.6%), respectively, in this study. After adjustment for possible confounding factors, each SEP indicator was in significantly positive relation to both unweighted and weight HL level. Participants who obtained 13+ and 10–12 years educational attainment, respectively, had 2.41 (95%CI = 1.60, 3.64) and 1.68 (95%CI = 1.23, 2.29) times odds to record weighted adequate HL compared to their counterparts who were with 0–9 years education. Subjects within upper (OR = 1.92, 95%CI = 1.24, 2.98) and middle FAI tertile (OR = 1.59, 95%CI = 1.19, 2.13), respectively, were more likely to report weighted adequate HL relative to those who were within lower FAI tertile. White collars were more likely to have weighted adequate HL (OR = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.09, 1.61) than blue collars. Conclusions Each of education, FAI and occupation was positively associated with health literacy among urban and rural adults in China. The findings have important implications that different SEP indicators can be used to identify vulnerable residents in population-based health literacy promotion campaigns.


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