2021 Volume 29 Issue 3 Pages 266-277
Objective: This study aimed to explore the concept of interest in health and develop the Interest in Health Scale, which will identify the characteristics of the “population indifferent to health” and propose interventions that improve their health behaviors.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an internet-based questionnaire. We recruited 400 participants aged 30–69 years (50 men and 50 women each in 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s). The scale items were developed based on a review of previous studies of health interests and behaviors. We also included questions related to health behaviors (habits related to eating, exercise, alcohol use, and smoking). Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were examined. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test construct validity, and the associations between scale scores and health behaviors were examined using Student’s t-test.
Results: We designed a 12-item scale with three factors using factor analysis. The factors were named “health consciousness,” “health motivation,” and “health value.” The goodness of fit index for the three-factor model was acceptable (goodness of fit index=0.932; adjusted goodness of fit index=0.896; comparative fit index=0.936; root mean square error of approximation=0.079). Test-retest and internal reliabilities were sufficient for the total scale and subscales. Significant positive associations between the scale scores and health behaviors were observed for factors 1 and 2 subscales, but not for factor 3 subscale.
Conclusions: We conceptualized the interest in health as a multi-dimensional concept and developed a scale that consists of three factors.
