Factors Influencing Elders' Preventive Behavior for Influenza A (H1N1)

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to examine the relations among anxiety, knowledge, health locus of control and preventive behavior, and to find factors related with preventive behavior. METHODS: The subjects were 269 elderly people of over 65 living in C City. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS: Health promoting behavior was significantly different according to chronic disease, contact with H1N1 patient and perceived health status. The variables that affected the level of preventive behavior were anxiety, knowledge, internal locus of control, external locus of control, chance locus of control and perceived health status. CONCLUSION: According to this study, promoting preventive behavior for H1N1 on the elderly builds up anxiety, knowledge, and health locus of control.