Health-related locus of control and health behaviour among university students in North Rhine Westphalia, Germany

Abstract

BackgroundHealth control beliefs were postulated to be associated with health behaviour. However, the results of studies assessing these associations suggest that they might not be universal. Among young adults associations have been reported, but the evidence is limited. The objective of this analysis was to re-examine these associations in a sample of university students in Germany.FindingsData from a multicentre cross-sectional study among university students in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany was used (N=3,306). The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale with three dimensions (one internal and two external) and six aspects of health behaviour (smoking habits, alcohol use, drug consumption, being over-/ or underweight, physical activity, and importance of healthy nutrition) were evaluated. Students with stronger internal locus of control paid more attention to healthy nutrition and displayed a higher level of physical activity. Individuals with a stronger belief in health professionals were less likely to use drugs and paid more attention to healthy nutrition. Furthermore, higher scores in the second external locus of control dimension (beliefs in luck or chance) were associated with a higher likelihood of current smoking, lower physical activity and less attention to healthy nutrition.ConclusionsStudents engaged more strongly in unhealthy behaviour if they believed that luck determines health. In contrast, believing in having control over one’s own health was associated with more healthy behaviour. These findings support the need to consider health control beliefs while designing preventive strategies in this specific population.

Self-assessment and woman’s health control location after gynaecological operations

“…In research conducted by Szczepańska and Lipowski, [24] of 470 people from the province of Pomorskie, it was shown that respondents with a greater indicator of internal locus of control health rated well above their health and physical condition. Confirmation of these results can be found in studies by Helmer et al [25], researching health and behaviour of health among people living in the Rhineland (Germany), and in research by Aflakseir and ZarrinPour [26], studying patients with type 2 diabetes. The research demonstrated that a greater sense of responsibility for their own health is associated with an internal locus of health control.…”

Studentų rizikingo elgesio ir aštrių pojūčių siekio sąsajos

“…Daugelis tyrėjų pripažįs-ta, kad besaikis alkoholio vartojimas, kai išgeriami dideli alkoholio kiekiai vienu metu (angl. binge drinking) ypač būdingas studentams (Ansari & Stock, 2010;Arnett, 2007;French & Cooke, 2012;Helmer, Kramer, & Mikolajczyk, 2012).…”

“…A literature review showed that one or two types of risky behaviour are tested in the surveys, not taking into account the confirmation about the covariance of risky behaviours (Duberstein-Lindberg et al, 2000;Jessor & Jessor, 1977;Monahan & Hawkins, 2009). We have to state that scientists and practitioners are more focused on secondary schools and adolescents in their research than on university students.…”

A Predictive Model for Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, Alcohol Drinking, and Risky Driving Among Albanian Youth

“…Research on health behaviors and their determinants has been quite selective in terms of mainly focusing either on external environmental factors or internal individual determinants of behavior; for instance, while studies have shown that external influences such as modeling may be very important in the context of smoking or drinking behavior (e.g., Sancho, Miguel, & Aldás, 2011;White, Johnson, & Buyske, 2000), internal determinants such as locus of control seem to have crucial importance in the context of engagement in physical activity or healthy eating (e.g., Helmer, Kramer, & Mikolajczyk, 2012). Certainly, the consideration of personal and environmental variables separately constitutes a major limitation to the proper understanding of the overall context in which health behaviors are established.…”