Abstract

PURPOSE
This review examined literature relevant to adolescent's health behavior in order to identify key behaviors and factors related to health behaviors for targeting health promotion interventions.
METHOD
A critical review of 29 research articles was carried out using the guidelines suggested by Cooper.
RESULT
The majority of the studies were descriptive and cross-sectional. Generally, the study includes sub-dimensions such as general hygiene and daily life habit, safety and accident prevention, nutrition and eating (tobacco, drinking), exercise, mental health and stress management, health duty (drug, health examination, disease prevention). Factors highly related to health behaviors were age, living areas, economic status, parent health behaviors, parent health concern, social support, friends influence, self-efficacy, self-esteem, locus of control, and the perceived health status. Sex, parent education and health knowledge were not related to health behaviors of adolescents.
CONCLUSION
Several conceptual and methodological problems were identified in the studies review, such as restricted conceptualization of health behaviors and sampling issues which limit the generalizability of the study outcomes. Further research is needed to enhance the concept clarification and generalizablity of the study results.