Factors Affecting Health Promotion Behaviors of Upper Grade Elementary Students

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify factors affecting health promotion behaviors of upper grade elementary students. METHODS: A descriptive study was carried out with 282 fifth or sixth elementary school students from two cities, Korea. Data were collected using self-administrative questionnaires containing items on health knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavior control and health promotion behavior, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Cronbach's α, Pearson Correlation Coefficients, and multiple regression analysis with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: There were significant positive correlations between health promotion behavior and health knowledge (r=.36, p<.001), attitudes (r=.41, p<.001), subjective norms (r=.36, p<.001), perceived behavior control (r=.49, p<.001). Perceived behavior control (β=.38, p<.001), health knowledge (β=.26, p<.001), perceived health status - good (β=.15, p=.005) were significant factors affecting health promotion behavior and explained 31%(F=43.29, p<.001) of variance. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that level of health promotion behavior is appropriate and perceived behavior control is the most important factor for health promotion behavior among the predictors. These findings also suggest that it is necessary to promote perceived behavior control and health knowledge in developing health promotion intervention programs for these students, as well as a need to strengthen education on sex behavior and health, accident prevention and first aid.