PERCEPTUAL DETERMINANTS OF EARLY ADOLESCENT HEALTH PROMOTING BEHAVIORS IN ONE ALABAMA BLACK BELT COUNTY.
Contributors: Boston College.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 229
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Public Health.; Health Sciences, Human Development.
Description: Health promotion is being sanctioned as the long-term most cost effective approach to a reduction in preventable health problems. Adolescence is recognized as a most opportune time to establish health promoting cognitive and social behaviors. Alabama's "Black Belt" has become known for devastating health and economic statistics that has caused its population to be considered "at risk" for many health problems that are amenable to nursing interventions. Among the many populations considered "at risk" within this predominately rural area is the African American early adolescent. Alabama's epidemiological reports indicate the age of engagement in health deterring behaviors is shifting to the early adolescent. Early adolescents are making behavioral choices that have caused the incidence and prevalence of preventable health problems to be at a national high.

A Perceptual Health Promotion Determinants Model, deductively derived, provided the framework for this study. A review of the literature and previous studies indicates the influence of self-efficacy, self-esteem level of hope and the cognitive development in determining health behavior. The purpose of this study was to test the relationship of the selected perceptual characteristics to the prediction of engagement in health promoting behaviors by Alabama's Black Belt early adolescents. Health promoting behaviors were measured using the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) (Walker, Sechrist & Pender). Perceptual determinants were assessed using Miller's Self-Esteem Questionnaire; Leskow & Smock's Permutation Task; Miller Hope Scale; and Sherer & Maddux's Self-Efficacy Scale.

A survey approach with a correlational design was used in this study. A non-random convenience sample of 1036 early adolescents (grades 7 and 8) was used. The sample consisted of 81% African American students and 19% Caucasian students.

Reliability of the instruments with the sample was.60 and greater, which is similar to previously published Chronbach's data. Results of stepwise multiple regression indicated the predictors of health promoting behaviors were hope, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. These variables explained 23.5% variance. All independent variables were positively correlated to health promoting behaviors except cognitive development. The data supported the proposed model.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-01, Section: B, page: 0170.

Thesis (PH.D.)--BOSTON COLLEGE, 1992.

School code: 0016.