Factors Influencing Behaviors That Healthy Community-Dwelling Elders Practice for Preventative Self-Care

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing behaviors for preventative self-care (BPSC) among healthy community-dwelling elders.
Methods: The subjects were healthy community-dwelling elders aged 60–89 years. The study design was based on the Pender's Revised Health Promotion Model. BPSC was defined as the health behaviors practiced by elderly subjects in their daily lives towards the aim of living independently in their own homes and communities as long as possible. The self-administered questionnaire included demographic information such as age and sex and items regarding:instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), health locus of control (HLC), subjective well-being, knowledge of preventative self-care, the self-efficacy scale for health promotion (self-efficacy), BPSC and perceived barriers to BPSC. Data analysis was conducted using path analysis.
Results: A total of 148 subjects gave sufficient data for inclusion in data analysis. The mean age was 70.86±6.36 years old. The final model showed a goodness of fit (χ²=26.57, p=.28, GFI=.96, AGFI=.93, and RMSEA=.03). Path analysis indicated that self-efficacy (β=.60, p<.001) and perceived barriers to BPSC (β=−.14, p<.05) directly influenced BPSC. Furthermore, knowledge of preventative self-care (β=.32, p<.001), age (β=.28, p<.001), subjective well-being (β=.19, p<.01) and regular hospital visits (β=.17, p<.05) affected BPSC indirectly through self-efficacy. HLC (β=−.22, p<.01), subjective well-being (β=−.19, p<.01) and availability of family care-giving (β=−.15, p<.05) also affected BPSC indirectly through perceived barriers to BPSC.
Conclusion: These results suggest that it is necessary to provide support to enhance elders' self-efficacy and to reduce the perceived barriers to BPSC, in order to encourage BPSC.