| The study tested the Health-Promoting Model for Lower Socioeconomic Populations, by examining the direct and indirect influences of demographic characteristics, interpersonal influences, situational factors, importance of health, perceived control of health, perceived health status, and definition of health on health-promoting behaviors in a lower socioeconomic (LSE) population. Additionally, reliability and validity of the Laffrey Health Conception Scale (LHCS) and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) were estimated for the study population. Finally, the study examined the relationship between definitions of health and health-promoting behaviors in a LSE population.;In the final path analysis model, the independent variables are Age, Role Definition of Health, and Perceived Health Status. Using significant beta weights, there is an indirect path from Age through Role Definition of Health to Health-Promoting Behaviors. The direct paths are from (a) Age, (b) Role Definition of Health, and (c) Perceived Health Status to Health-Promoting Behaviors.;The Cronbach's alpha for each of the subscales of the LHCS and the HPLP was greater than.70. The Cronbach's alpha for the total LHCS was.9699, and the Cronbach's alpha for the total HPLP was.9459.;Construct validity for the LHCS and the HPLP was examined. Factor analysis of the LHCS revealed four factors that explained 74.9% of the variance. Factor analysis of the HPLP revealed 13 factors that explained 77% of the variance.;Eighty-two subjects participated in this research study. The largest percentage of the subjects were married, White females, between the ages of 18 and 30, with 10th-11th grade education. The majority of the subjects had their own transportation and agreed that their health was very important to them, that they were in control of their health, and that they were very healthy. Family and doctors were chosen by these subjects as having the most influence on what they did to be healthy.;The relationships between the subscales and the total LHCS and HPLP were examined. Exercise was the only subscale of the HPLP that did not correlate significantly with any of the subscales of the LHCS. The highest correlation was between the HPLP subscale of Self-Actualization and the total LHCS score. |
