Health Literacy as a Major Contributor to Health-Promoting Behaviors among Korean Teachers.

Eun Jung Bae,Ju Young Yoon

doi:10.3390/ijerph18063304

Abstract

Teachers are not only subjects of school health efforts but also role models for students’ health behaviors; teachers’ health-promoting behaviors can induce students’ healthy behaviors with their positive health outcomes. This study was an examination of personal factors, situational factors, and health literacy as influences on teachers’ health-promoting behaviors. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was implemented based on an integrated model of health literacy. The study results showed that health literacy was the strongest predictor of teachers’ health-promoting behaviors. In addition, school type and school culture were situational factors related to the interpersonal relations and stress management domains of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II scale. These findings could serve as foundational evidence for developing programs at the individual and organizational levels that enhance teachers’ health-promoting behaviors.

Highlights

Public Health 2021, 18, 3304. https://Health-promoting behaviors refer to individual actions directed toward attaining a positive health outcome, such as optimal wellbeing and productive living [1]
The mean HealthPromoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) domain scores were lowest for physical activity and highest for interpersonal relations
Situational factors, and health literacy as influences on health-promoting behaviors among a population of Korean teachers based on an integrated model of health literacy

Summary

Introduction

Health-promoting behaviors refer to individual actions directed toward attaining a positive health outcome, such as optimal wellbeing and productive living [1]. As the disease burden of non-communicable diseases has become a significant public health concern, health-promoting behaviors have increased in importance for preventing and controlling disease effects. A prospective study showed a strong decrease in mortality risk associated with increasing numbers of positive health behaviors [7]. Teachers’ health-promoting behaviors are important both because they lead to positive health outcomes for teachers themselves and because teachers who engage in these behaviors serve as examples for their students to develop healthy behaviors [10,11,12]. In the current school health paradigm [13], teachers are both subjects and resources of school health who should be supported in strengthening their health-promoting behaviors at school while they at the same time model behaviors that can encourage students’ health-promoting behaviors

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Discussion

Conclusion