Cognitive and Value Correlates of Health-Related Behavior in Brazilian Middle-class Women |
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| Authors: | Patricia Paine Luiz Pasquali Carlos Augusto Barros Ribeiro |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Social Psychology State University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;Department of Social and Organizational Psychology University of Brasilia Brasilia, Brazil;Data Processing Division State University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | The prevalence of several health-related behaviors was studied in a random sample of 294 Brazilian middle-class women between 25 and 45 years of age. The interrelationships among these behaviors confirmed previous findings in North America and provided the basis for the computation of a composite index of health behavior. The sociodemographic, cognitive, and value correlates of scores on the Health Behavior Index (HBI) were investigated using regression analysis. Women who behave in favor of good health were mothers of more children, had a definition of health as higher level functioning and self-realization, believed that care outweighs chance as a determinant of health, and valued inner harmony as opposed to comfort and independence. These findings verified most aspects of Pender's health promotion model (Pender, Walker, Sechrist, & Stromberg, 1990). |
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