Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between selfefficacy, family support and health promotion behavior of the elderly in a community.
METHOD
The sample consisted of 208 elderly and data was collected from November 18 to December 21, 2002. The instrument of this study was a structured questionnaire including health promoting behaviors, self-efficacy, family support, general characteristics. Analysis of the data was done by use of descriptive statistics, t or F, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Stepwise multiple regression.
RESULTS
1. The general characteristics related to health promoting behavior were gender, family structure, education level and monthly pocket money. 2. The general characteristics related to self efficacy were gender, age, family structure, education level, religion and monthly pocket money. 3. The general characteristics did not affect family support. 4. Health promoting behavior score was the highest in the interpersonal support (2.72) and in order was nutrition(2.65), stress management(2.31), self actualization(2.30), exercise(2.05), health responsibility(1.86). 5. There was a significantly high correlation between health promoting behavior and self efficacy(r=.605, p=.000), and family support(r=.500, p=.000) and between self-efficacy and family support were correlated relatively high(r=.498, p=.000) 6. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of health promotion behavior in elderly was self-efficacy (39.6%). A combination of self-efficacy, family support, monthly pocket money, education level and present illness status explained 48.5% of the variance for health promoting behavior. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that self-efficacy and family support are very important variables in explaining the health promoting behaviors in elderly. Therefore, these variables should be considered in nursing intervention development and education, especially, self-efficacy improving programs that considered exercise and health responsibility are expected to effect the health promoting behavior in elderly.