Health as a value: Methodological and theoretical considerations.

Abstract

The concept of value placed on health is very important in several different theoretical approaches to the study of health behavior. In practice, however, health value is generally assumed to be universally high rather than being directly measured. If this assumption is incorrect, then theories that include health value have rarely been adequately tested. This paper presents a short 4-item Likert scale designed to measure the value placed on health. Norms from the utilization of this scale in five different samples are presented. Health value is found to increase with age among girls, but the increase apparently stops by late adolescence, before full adult levels of health value are achieved. Middle-aged women place a higher value on health than do middle-aged men, although no comparable sex difference appears in a sample of undergraduates. Consistent with theoretical predictions, both health locus of control beliefs and beliefs in the efficacy of certain preventive health behaviors correlate more highly with the performance of those same behaviors 5 to 9 months later among respondents who place a high value of health relative to those who do not value health so highly. However, this interaction is found only when it can be safely assumed that health is the primary value underlying the behavior. The importance of considering a variety of values in addition to health as possible motivators of preventive health behavior is stressed.

Significant changes in physical activity among pregnant women in the UK as assessed by accelerometry and self-reported activity

“…that women who placed a higher value on their health were more motivated to assess their own behaviour during pregnancy (Lau et al, 1986). None of the participants reported any physical barrier to the monitor's use.…”

“…Prepregnancy activity was assessed retrospectively using the modified Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity (Pols et al, 1995). Additional baseline variables comprised maternal health value (Lau et al, 1986) and extroversion (Eysenck and Eysenck, 1975). Maternal health value scale comprises four items on which responses are made using a six point Likert scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree.…”

Factors associated with return for routine annual screening in an ovarian cancer screening program

“…Responses were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale with response options ranging from "definitely won't" to "definitely will." Dispositional Variables-Dispositional measures included the Life Orientation Test -(LOT) [20], a measure of dispositional optimism, and the Health Values Scale (HVS) [21] a measure of the value one places on health. Coefficient alphas were 0.75 and 0.61, respectively.…”

Cognitive misperceptions as determinants of drug misuse / Errores cognitivos como determinantes del abuso de drogas

“…A third example is derived from a "health as a value" notion (Lau, Hartman, & Ware, 1986;Ritt-Olson et al, 2004;Sussman et al, 1993;. This notion is that the more a person values health, the more likely the person is to refrain from health compromising behaviors.…”