In a recently published study at the International Journal of Public Health, the authors aimed to investigate health-promoting behaviours and their determinants, including social support and sociodemographic characteristics in Iranian women. In addition, womens’ experience of health promoting behaviour was explored.
This study was conducted in two phases, as outlined below:
– The first phase was a cross-sectional study on 1359 Iranian women. The study was conducted using questionnaires such as the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) and the Personal Resource Questionnaire.
– The second phase consisted on in-depth, individual interviews of 15 women, who were identified as extreme cases during the first phase of the study.
The results of the cross-sectional part of the study showed that these women obtained higher scores on interpersonal relations and lowest scores on physical activity. Scores of the HPLP-II significantly correlated with the level of social support.
During the in-depth interviews the factors affecting health-promoting behaviours were explored and grouped in 4 categories: personal and social environmental barriers and social and environmental facilitators.
The authors conclude that a holistic approach towards encouraging health-promoting behaviours must be adopted and suggest that their results be tested in interventions.
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The study was conducted by Azam Baheiraei, Mojgan Mirghafouirvand, Sakineh Mohammad-Alizadeh Charandabi, Eesa Mohammadi and Saharnaz Nedjat
