Health Habits of Elderly Widows

Abstract

Nurses need to demonstrate that they have the Wedge and ability to work with older women in ways that promote and protect healthy aging.

A Study of Symptom Distress, Health locus of Control, and Coping Resources of Aging Post‐Polio Survivors

“…Despite the report of increased use of restorative aids with 93% noting symptoms consistent with post-polio syndrome, overall, this sample of survivors described their total symptom distress as only slight, reflecting perhaps the denial of change reported by . These aging post-polio survivors perceived their health locus of control as more internal than external, a finding similar to Rauckhorst's (1987) study of health locus of control in elderly women. Those with higher internal health locus of control scores (IHLC) identified lower symptom distress, a finding consistent with others who have found greater illness symptoms reported in individuals with low internal HLC and higher external HLC (Nagy & Wolfe, 1983).…”

“…However, Kraus (1986) also found that extreme internals (i.e.. those with very strong tendencies not to believe in chance or powerful others) use ineffective coping methods with unavoidable stressors, suggesting a more complex multidimensional interaction effect exists between locus of control and coping behaviors than previously thought. Rauckhorst (1987) found a positive relationship between internal locus of control and the health habits of elderly. However, her sample had a strong external orientation, attributed to specific dependency situations, family, transportation, and mobility factors.…”

Health‐Promoting Behaviors, Perceived Social Support, and Self‐Reported Health of Appalachian Elderly

“…Rauckhorst (1987) studied the health habits of elderly widows and found that internal health locus of control was most strongly related to positive health habits, such as never smoking cigarettes, moderate or no use of alcohol, engaging in regular exercise, and maintaining desirable weight. Hubbard, Muhlenkamp, and Brown (1984) used a twostudy approach to examine the relationship between self-care practice and perceived social support.…”

“…Pender (1987) developed one of the most widely used health-promotion models in nursing, hypothesizing that determinants of health-promoting behaviors include (1) individual perceptions (importance of health, perceived control, desire for competence, self-awareness, self-esteem, definition of health, perceived health status, perceived benefit of health-promoting behaviors); (2) modifying factors (demographic, interpersonal, situational variables); and (3) other variables, such as perceived barriers or cues to action influencing the likelihood of engaging in health-promoting behaviors. Rauckhorst (1987) studied the health habits of elderly widows and found that internal health locus of control was most strongly related to positive health habits, such as never smoking cigarettes, moderate or no use of alcohol, engaging in regular exercise, and maintaining desirable weight. Hubbard, Muhlenkamp, and Brown (1984) used a twostudy approach to examine the relationship between self-care practice and perceived social support.…”

A new typology of health behaviours for personality‐health predictions: The case of locus of control

“…In our review, we found mixed support for a link between control and Preventing. In a study of elderly widows, Rauckhorst (1987) found that internal (multidimensional) health locus of control scores correlated positively with self-reported health care habits such as moderate to no use of alcohol and engaging in regular physical activity. Lewallen (1989) investigated the correlations among pregnant women between MHLC dimensions and a composite, self-report measure of various behaviours such as alcohol and tobacco use, exercise, nutrition, safety, and stress management.…”