A QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CORONARY HEART DISEASE AS PERCEIVED BY SELECTED MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN.
Contributors: Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 133
Subjects: Education, Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Public Health.
Description: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe middle-aged women's beliefs of their perceived susceptibility to development of coronary heart disease. The sample of white middle-class women (N = 8) ranged in age from 40 to 60. In face-to-face interviews subjects responded to a semi-structured interview guide based on the Health Belief Model.

Content analysis was used to classify data according to the categories of the Health Belief Model. Results reveal four major themes: A belief in susceptibility to development of coronary heart disease, a lack of knowledge as to the severity of coronary heart disease and a lack of time to engage in health-promoting behaviors. A fourth emerging theme was a discrepancy between the subjects' knowledge and motivation to take action. The findings suggest that strategies influencing self-efficacy may be the most effective method of increasing behaviors to prevent coronary heart disease.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-07, Section: A, page: 2567.

Thesis (PH.D.)--SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT CARBONDALE, 1995.

School code: 0209.