THE HEALTH BELIEFS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA NURSING STUDENTS.
Contributors: Indiana University School of Nursing.
Published: 1982
Number of pages: 119
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The present study was conducted to determine if a Western theoretical model, developed to explain the abstract structure of health beliefs, would provide appropriate guidelines to construct an instrument to assess health beliefs of individuals in a non-Western society. The Health Belief Model (HBM) as originally described by Rosenstock (1966) and altered by Becker, et al., (1974a,b) was the theoretical model used. In addition to items derived from the constructs of the HBM, the constructs of locus of control and belief in evil spirits were incorporated into the model. Items developed and tested by Wallston, et al., (1978) were used for locus of control. Ten items were developed by the researcher to tap beliefs in evil spirits and in traditional medicine as areas of concern when thinking about or dealing with malaria.

The subjects were 158 nursing students from six schools of nursing in Papua New Guinea (PNG). All schools had three-year diploma nursing programs.

The first two hypotheses dealt with the ability of the HBM to predict behavioral intent to seek assistance with malaria. The health beliefs along and in combination with locus of control and belief in spirits predicted behavioral intent. The last three hypotheses were an attempt to learn if year of nursing school, gender or area of origin of the student or locale of the nursing school would impact on any of the health beliefs. Years of nursing school completed had no impact on health beliefs. Gender of student had a significant impact only on the "Barrier" health belief. The issue of malaria endemicity provided mixed results.

It is recommended that the present study be replicated, employing more rigorous procedures for item wording which would be understandable for the intended PNG subjects. In addition, other groups of Papua New Guineans should be sampled.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-10, Section: B, page: 4227.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING, 1982.

School code: 0815.