Relationship between Perceived Health Status and Health Behaviors among Rural Residents

Sohn, Seok Joon; Kim, Young Chan; Shin, Jun Ho; Shin, Min Ho

Abstract

Health behaviors practice is an important factor for the prevention of non-infectious diseases and for health promotion because the life style of individual affects his or her health status and morbidity. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between perceived health status and health behaviors practice in an aging rural residents, and to provide basic data for further prospective study to investigate the causal relationship. 784 of study subjects were taken by random cluster sampling for the adults aged 40 years and over in a rural area. The data were collected by self-administered questionnaire, and final analysis included the data of 762 participants who completed the questionnaire. 50.2% perceived that they were healthy, and 84.0% had good health behaviors (health practice index score: 6-10). Health practice index score was significantly higher in females than in males (p<0.05), but it was not different among age groups. Marital status, education, present farm working activities, and mean annual household income were not related to health practice index. The associated factors with perceived health status were sex, age, marital status, education, present farm working activities, and mean annual household income. Health behaviors associated with perceived health status were regular diet, regular exercise, and drinking. Using multiple logistic regression model, the adjusted odds ratio of regular diet for good perceived health status was 2.5 (p<0.05), that of no drinking or past drinking 0.5 (p<0.05), that of higher education 2.1 (p<0.05), and that of present farm working activities 1.6 (p<0.05). These results suggest that health behaviors practice is related to perceived health status and that the introduction of desirable health behaviors can contribute to disease prevention and health promotion.