Toward Healthy Aging: A Theory for Community Health Nursing

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to examine the relationships among health-promoting behaviors, perceived social support, and self-reported health of 113 persons age 55 years and over, who were attending nutrition sites in northern West Virginia. Three hypotheses were formulated: (1) health-promoting behaviors are positively related to perceived social support; (2) health-promoting behaviors are positively related to self-reported health, and (3) perceived social support is positively related to self-reported health. Only the first two were supported by our findings. Data analysis revealed positive correlations between the average health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP) score and education, and frequency of attending the nutrition site screening clinics for high blood pressure and diabetes. Better-educated subjects scored higher on selected subscales of the HPLP (self-actualization and health responsibility). Age was negatively correlated with the HPLP subscales of health responsibility and exercise. Nurses and support personnel at nutrition sites should focus increased attention on the older participants and those who are less well-educated. Expanding the variety and frequency of health services available to nutrition site participants merits attention.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

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

Riffle

Yoho

Sams

1989

“…Kolanowski and Gunter's (1985) qualitative study with older women resulted in patterns that were very similar to those reported in the present study. Boyle and Counts (1988) found patterns similar to Attending to Health Behaviors and Staying Active in their study of Appalachian elders, but did not find maintaining relationships to be central to health in that context.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Older Adults' Experience of Health Promotion: A Theory for Nursing Practice

Frenn

1996

Understanding older adults' experience of health promotion is essential in effectively preserving health and functional ability and thereby reducing health care costs among members of this rapidly expanding group. During 5 months of participant observation of 80 older adults (ages of 62-88), data from 31 semistructured interviews, as well as the Health Self-Determinism Index (HSDI) designed to measure intrinsic motivation for health (Cox, Miller, & Mull, 1987), were analyzed using methods common to grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Patterns central to maintaining health that provide essential theoretical grounding for health promotion practice with older adults were discovered.

“…Community health nursing emphasizes health‐oriented care for people. The major goal of community nurses is “to increase health rather than to decrease illness” ( Boyle & Counts, 1988, p. 46). For older adults, health promotion must be emphasized as the basis of everyday life ( Alford & Futrell, 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of Health Promotion Lifestyle Among Three Ethnic Groups of Elderly Rural Women in Taiwan

Wang

1999

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictors of health promotion lifestyle (HPL) and examine the similarities and differences among three ethnic groups of elderly rural women in Taiwan. Pender's Health Promotion Model was used as the conceptual framework of this study. A convenience sample of 599 elderly rural women was recruited from three rural areas: Kao-Shu, San-Di-Men, and Ma-Chia. Ho-Lo, Hakka, and aboriginal people are the three main ethnic groups in these areas. Of the 599 elderly women, 391 completed all of the interview questions. Subjects ranged from 65 to 91 years old. All instruments used in this study have been evaluated for their content validity. The interrater reliability and alpha coefficient reliability of all instruments were greater than 0.70. A survey-interview method was used to collect data. Findings showed that the predictors of HPL have differences and similarities among elderly rural women from different ethnicities. In the group of elderly Ho-Lo women, age, education, living arrangements, and perceived barriers to health promotion lifestyle (PBaHPL) were significant predictors and they explained 41.9% of total variance in HPL. In the group of elderly Hakka women, education, number of chronic health problems, PBaHPL, and perceived benefits of health promotion lifestyle (PBeHPL) were significant predictors in explaining 53.9% of total variance in HPL. Finally, in the group of elderly aboriginal women, living arrangements, PBaHPL, and PBeHPL were significant predictors in explaining 70.0% of total variance in HPL. Community nurses can use their understanding of different ethnic groups to assess, identify, and use effective health promotion interventions for elderly rural women.