This paper describes the development and preliminary validation of the Multidimensional Health Profile-Health Functioning Index (MHP-H), a 69-item self-report instrument designed to assess a variety of behaviors, perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs presumed to influence health status and the pursuit of lay and professional health care. The MHP-H briefly measures adult health history, health habits, health care utilization, health beliefs and attitudes, and response to illness (help-seeking behaviors). A national sample of adults (N = 673) was assessed, comprising 3 age groupings (18-32, 33-50, and 51-89) crossed with gender and then further subdivided into several subsamples for purposes of reliability and validity assessment. In addition, a group of spouse "key informants" was also recruited. Preliminary validation of single-item indicators as well as confirmatory factor analyses of multi-item scales was achieved. The present findings support the psychometric and practical utility of the MHP-H and warrant its use by health psychologists in a variety of research and applied settings.
Keywordshealth behaviors; health attitudes; help seeking; national sampling; self-regulation In the domain of contemporary managed health care, psychological assessment and screening for possible future health risks, for potential over-or underutilization of services, or for attitudinal problems that could presage patient noncompliance is a widely acknowledged need that is seldom systematically addressed (Institute of Medicine, 1997; USDHHS, 2000). Largely neglected also are patients' pro-health psychological characteristics, such as attributions of self-efficacy for illness management, that are likely to contribute to responsible self-care (health self-regulation; cf., Anderson, 1979;Karoly, 1991;Levin, Katz, & Holst, 1976). Therefore, despite a growing recognition among health care providers of the benefits of early detection of health-compromising practices and self-defeating attitudes, many medical professionals continue to adopt a passive, problem-awaiting stance rather than taking advantage of relatively inexpensive paper-and-pencil or computer-based assessment devices that could enable them to anticipate and possibly prevent future threats to patient health and quality of life (cf., Curry, Ludman, Grothaus, Donovan, & Kim, 2003;Friedman, Sobel, Myers, Caudill, & Benson, 1995;Neumark-Sztainer, Wall, Story, & Perry, 2003). Fortunately, the unavailability of psychometrically sound and nationally normed instruments that assess patients' proclivities toward health-protective and health-compromising actions and attitudes may be one obstacle to progress in health screening that can be effectively addressed. The
NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript purpose of the present research was the development of a comparatively brief self-report instrument to assist health care professionals in the cost-effective appraisal of clients' positive and negative health care orientations.The instrument d...