A study on Perceived Health Influencing Factors, Health Practice Performance and Perceived Health Status in the Elderly

Chang, Sung Ok; Park, Young Joo; Lee, Sook Ja; Park, Eun Sook

Abstract

This study attempted to investigate the relation of perceived health influencing factors, health practice performance and perceived health status in the elderly. The subjects of the study were 95 elderly people over the age of 60, living in Seoul and Kyungi province area in Korea. They were conveniently sampled for this study and the data was collected from March, 1998 through August, 1998. The instruments for this study, which were for measuring perceived health influencing factors and health practice performance, were developed by the researchers. The instrument for measuring perceived health status were items from the OARS Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire(OMFAQ). The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pearson's Correlation Coefficients and Stepwise Multiple Regression. The results of this study are as follows: 1. Influencing factors were divided into 3 perceived health enhancing factors and 3 perceived health hindering factors and health practice was divided into 4 health practice factors. 2. Health practice factor which was characterized as 'taking regularly vitamin, nutrient, oriental medical herbs and doing passive exercise' performance showed significant posisitive correlation with both perceived health enhancing factors which were 'empathetic support' and 'health maintenance through medical regimen'. Health practice factor which was characterized as' self monitoring through medical regimen' performance showed significant positive correlation with perceived health enhancing factor 'health maintenance through medical regimen'. Health practice factor which was characterized as 'actively taking food or nutrients which are recognized as good for health in public' performance showed significant positive correlation with both perceived health enhancing factor 'health maintenance through medical regimen' and perceived health hindering factor 'inappropriate health management'. 3. Stepwise Multiple Regression analysis revealed that: The Statistically significant influencing variables of perceived health status were health practice factor 'actively taking food or nutrients which are recognized as good for health in public' performance and perceived health enhancing factor 'empathetic support'.