Environmental Factors Related to Non-compliant Health Behaviors in Urban-Dwelling Elderly

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore non-compliant health behaviors among urban-dwelling elderly and identify related environmental factors.Methods: This study analyzed integrated data from the 2017 Korean National Survey on the elderly and 2017 Annual Report of Air Quality in Korea (N=3,198). In this study, health behaviors included seven recommendations for promoting health. Social and physical environmental factors were selected based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystem theory, including air quality as an environmental factor. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data while controlling for general characteristics of the elderly.Results: The average score for non-compliant health behaviors was 3.05±1.03 among seven health behaviors. Hierarchical multiple regression showed the environmental factors related to non-compliant health behaviors were social activity participation (β=.15, p＜.001); interactions with friends, neighbors, and acquaintances (β=.06, p=.002); access to institutions and facilities (β=.06, p=.001); and particulate matter concentration (β=-.10, p＜.001).Conclusion: Our study findings emphasized that social activity participation, interactions with significant others, access to institutions and facilities, and particulate matter concentration should be considered when developing ecological interventions to improve health behaviors among the urban-dwelling elderly.