Influencing factors on health promoting behavior among the elderly living in the community

INTRODUCTION: Health promotion behavior is one of the main criteria for determining health that is recognized as the basic factor in catching numerous diseases. Observing such behaviors by the elderly prevents affliction to various diseases and has potential effect in promoting health and increasing the elderly quality of life. This research was done for the aim of determining effective factors on health promotion behaviors and health status in the elderly of the Dena province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty elderly of over 65 years of age were selected randomly to do this descriptive-analytical study (cross-sectional type). The questionnaire regarding health promoting lifestyle profile 2 (HPLP2) was used for measuring the rate of health promotion behaviors. The data was collected by personal interviews and face to face method for completing the relevant questionnaire and was analyzed by SPSS software version 20 and also proper tests. RESULTS: The average score of the elderly health promotion behaviors in the Dena province (143.8) indicated the acceptable level of performing health promoting behaviors in this group, such that 85% of the elderly had intermediate health promoting behaviors and 15% had proper behaviors. Also, the results showed that the average score of the physical activity and nutrition sub-measuring conditions was lower than the average score of other sub measures of prevention had the highest average. Moreover, comparison of the correlation of health promotion behaviors with the sub-measures showed that apart from the healthy nutrition sub-measure, all the other sub-measures have significant correlation with health promotion behaviors. CONCLUSION: From the findings of this study, the authors recommend health providers to promote elderly health promotion behaviors in all communities by identifying health promotion behaviors in other parts of the country, and also designing suitable intervention programs based on effective factors on health promotion behaviors of the elderly people.