HEALTH ORIENTATION AND HEALTH PROMOTING BEHAVIORS IN WOMEN

Abstract

Objective: To investigate health orientation dimensions as predicting factors of health promoting behaviors in women.

Methodology: Correlational research design was used in this study. Sample was 200 women, with age range of 25 to 45 years selected by purposive sampling method. Health Orientation Scale (HOS) and Health-Promoting Life style Profile-II (HPLP-II) were used for the measurement of health orientation dimensions and participant's active involvement in health promoting behaviors respectively.

Results: Hierarchical regression analysis provided following significant findings: (a) motivation for healthiness positively predicted health responsibility (β= .24); (b) health esteem-confidence and motivation for healthiness positively predicted (β= .16, β= .28) physical activity; (c) motivation to avoid unhealthiness predicted spiritual growth positively (β= .27) while health anxiety predicted it negatively(β= -.26); (d) personal health consciousness positively predicted interpersonal relationship (β= .30); (e) health esteem-confidence, motivation to avoid unhealthiness and motivation for healthiness positively predicted stress management (β= .29, β=.30, β= .21) in overall sample.

Conclusion: Motivation for healthiness and to avoid unhealthiness were the most efficient predictors of four health promoting behaviors out of ten domains in HPLP-II including health responsibility, physical activity, spiritual growth and stress management among women.