Association between Self-Perceived Health Status and Health Related Behavior in Routine Health Examinees / 가정의학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Self-perceived health is a good indicator of health status. It is generally accepted that self-perceived health status has important role on one's health behavior and public health education. Smoking, drinking, and obesity are well known risk factors for one's health. But its effects on self-perceived health status are not known so well in Korea. This study was planned to evaluate the effect of health behavior such as smoking, drinking, and obesity on self-perceived health status. METHODS: We enrolled a total of 6,040 Koreans, visited to one general hospital health promotion center from June, 2004 through June, 2007. Data was collected by questionnaire, including basic demographic variables, family history of cancers or cerobrovascular accidents, psycho-emotional factors such as stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and health behaviors including smoking, drinking, and exercise. Risk factors for metabolic syndrome were also obtained including waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting blood sugar, and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Older age, higher alcohol consumption, higher BMI, and regular exercise were associated with higher selfperceived health status. Higher education status, higher score of stress, symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia, drug medication, operation history, and abnormal HDL status were associated with lower self-perceived health status. Smoking and metabolic syndrome had no relation with self-perceived health status. CONCLUSION: Drinking and higher BMI were associated with higher self-perceived health status, indicating discrepancies between self-perceived health status and medical advice. More strict education might be required for those risk factors.