HEALTH CONCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD POLIOMYELITIS.
Contributors: Boston University.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 210
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Social.
Description: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of 148 individuals who have had polio was conducted for the purpose of determining the relationship of health conceptions (Laffrey, 1988), sense of coherence (Antonovsky, 1987), and perceived health status to health behaviors. Laffrey's four health conceptions, i. e. clinical, role/functional, adaptive, and eudaimonistic, were measured with Laffrey's Health Conception Scale (1986). Sense of Coherence was operationalized with the Orientation to Life Scale (Antonovsky, 1987). Perceived health status was measured with a four item scale. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's Alpha. Alphas ranged from.795 to.914. The dependent variable was operationalized with the seven health practices found to be predictive of reduced mortality and increased longevity in the Human Population Laboratory Study (Belloc, 1973) and follow-up studies (Berkman & Breslow, 1983). Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the amount of variance in health behaviors that each of the independent variables contributed. A total of 9% of the variance in health practices was accounted for by a strong sense of coherence and a weak role/functional conception of health. Multiple regression analyses were run to determine if individuals with and without post-polio sequelae differed on these variables. No variables entered into the equations before the probability level of.05 was reached. Therefore, no comparison was possible between persons with and without sequelae, in this sample, with respect to the relationship of health conceptions, sense of coherence, or perceived health status to health behaviors. These findings extend those of Laffrey (1985) and add to nursing's basic knowledge of a group with chronic illness and/or disability.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-01, Section: B, page: 0167.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 1990.

School code: 0017.