Health-promoting lifestyle practices among patients with chronic diseases and its related factors

Abstract

Introduction: Engaging in health-promoting lifestyle practices is one of the factors influencing the reduction of the burden of disease among individuals with chronic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the health-promoting behaviors in individuals with chronic diseases and their related factors.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, health-promoting lifestyle practices in 625 individuals with a common type of chronic diseases in Qazvin city were investigated. Convenient sampling was used from May to December 2016 at specialized chronic diseases clinics of three university hospitals. The data collection was performed using a demographic questionnaire and the Farsi version of the health promotion lifestyle profile (HPLP II) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (independent t-test and stepwise multiple linear regression) via the SPSS version 21 software. Results: In the present study, 326 women and 299 men participated. The score of HPLP was 2.49 ± 0.37 in men and 2.47 ± 0.41 in women, with the highest score in nutrition and lowest score in physical activity. The results of the regression model showed that in women, the education of women and the spouse and satisfaction from the economic situation, whereas in men, the duration of the disease, unemployment, having chronic diseases in the digestive system and multiple sclerosis, age and education of the spouse, and satisfaction with the economic situation predicted health-promoting lifestyle practices. Conclusion: Given the low rate of health-promoting lifestyle practices, training and empowering these patients to promote lifestyle improvement of health-promotion behaviors, especially in physical activity, should be planned as part of the process of treatment and follow-up.