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The purpose of this study was to describe general self-care practices of middle adolescents. In addition, the relation between general self-care practices and specific sociocultural characteristics including socioeconomics and church attendance were explored. Orem's self-care theory and developmental theory provided the framework for the investigation. Findings from the sample of 15- and 16-year-old adolescents (n = 425) showed that they are engaging in self-care practices. The influence of sociocultural characteristics on self-care practices was supported. Implications from the study include the need to continue research endeavors that describe, explain, and predict health behavior in child and adolescent populations. Practicing nurses in diverse health care settings should consider the results of this study when working with adolescents and their families from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. Results from this investigation should be incorporated into the planning of health education programs for the adolescent population.

The results suggest that an individual's knowledge, feelings of worth related to status at school, and level of anxiety and stress are important predictors of health behavior.

The purposes of this study were to: (a) describe the characteristics of families with children who require apnea monitors in the home setting; (b) describe the family functioning characteristics and coping patterns of families with children on apnea monitors; and (c) describe the relationship between family functioning and coping patterns in these families. This descriptive study focused on families of 22 children ranging in age from 8 to 64 months who required home apnea monitoring. Interview results indicate that these families are high in adaptability and average in cohesion. Results also describe families who perceive themselves as coping adequately. Analysis of the data reveals significant correlations among family functioning scores and coping pattern subscale scores. Findings from this study support the importance of understanding the role of family functioning and coping patterns of families with children on home apnea monitoring. Information from this study can assist nurses in planning comprehensive family-centered care.