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Exploring preventive health behaviors through a structural equation model
Abstract
Many studies have sought to identify the factors that influence health behavior. Most often, the influences are considered separately, with focus on the variables of interest. This study explored the interactions between the variables, when considered simultaneously, in a structural equation model. The Lifestyle System was used for theoretical perspective. It states that health behaviors are interactive, and have a collective effect on health status. The theory was expanded to include, biological (age, gender, and race), environmental (socioeconomic status), and psychosocial (stress) factors. Survey data was obtained from the United States Army's Health Risk Appraisal (HRA). The HRA is a behavioral risk survey, and presents questions about, for example, diet, exercise, driving, smoking, stress, and medical exams. A sample of 786 soldiers was divided into two groups: one for model refinement and one for cross-validation of the model. An attempt was made to test the relationships across three time periods, but was unsuccessful. A series of parameter-nested models were tested. The results demonstrated that stress directly and negatively influences preventive health behaviors (PHB), and socioeconomic status (SES) both directly and indirectly, positively influences PHB. Age, gender, and race also demonstrated significant influence in some of the models tested. Early health behavior was significantly correlated with later health behavior. This study reinforces the theory of the multi-dimensionality of health behaviors, and the need for multi-disciplinary interventions. Attention must be paid to tbe SES and the mental health of subjects when health promoters plan intervention. Health behavior should be viewed as a system of several factors that all influence each other. Change in one factor will affect change in others, even though the magnitude of residual changes may be difficult to estimate.
Subject Area
Health education|Adult education|Continuing education|Public health
Recommended Citation
Kostner, Laura Helen, "Exploring preventive health behaviors through a structural equation model" (1996). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9623629.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9623629