Health Belief Scores Research Articles

Student nurses' breast self-examination health beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and performance during the first year of a preregistration degree program.

Very little information is available about young women's breast self-examination (BSE) health beliefs and practice. The purpose of this descriptive survey was to determine if changes occurred in young women's BSE health beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and performance over the first year of a registered nursing degree program. The convenience sample consisted of female students ages 40 years or younger who were surveyed at the beginning (n = 105) and end (n = 71) of the first year of the course. The Health Belief Model was used as the conceptual model in the study to measure the students' health beliefs and to calculate mean health belief scores. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results found students' BSE health belief scores to be high for perceived seriousness and benefits; moderate for susceptibility, control, and health motivation; and low for perceived barriers. These beliefs were not found significantly to predict or increase student's attitudes, knowledge, or performance of BSE, even though significant associations were identified between individual health beliefs. Students consistently reported positive attitudes toward the importance of BSE and in learning more about the procedure. Approximately one-third of students reported performing BSE monthly. No significant differences were identified in their BSE knowledge or performance over the year. Positive correlations were found between students' BSE frequency and their nursing experience as well as BSE instruction gained outside the course. In summary, no statistically significant differences were found between students' pretest and posttest BSE variables.

Osteoporosis Prevention In Young Women

To assess whether young women who participate in an osteoporosis prevention program based on the Health Belief (Rosenstock, 1966) and Self-Efficacy Models (Bandura, 1977) demonstrate higher levels of knowledge regarding osteoporosis prevention than young women who do not participate in such a program. A classic experimental design with one treatment group and one control group was used to test the efficacy of the osteoporosis prevention program. Pretest data on knowledge, health belief attitudes (7 subscales), and self-efficacy (2 subscales) were collected in the treatment and control groups. A convenience sample of 31 young college women were randomly assigned to an experimental group or to a control group to receive an osteoporosis prevention program. Subjects in the experimental and control groups completed the Osteoporosis Knowledge Test, the Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale, and the Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy Scale (Kim et al., 1991) at two times. The experimental group received an osteoporosis prevention program. Osteoporosis, Health Belief, Self-Efficacy, Women's Health. Subjects in the experimental group had significantly higher knowledge and health belief scores after receiving the intervention than their pretest scores while subjects in the control group had no change in scores. The osteoporosis program was effective in increasing awareness of osteoporosis prevention in this group of young women. The results may be useful for developing young women's awareness and knowledge of osteoporosis prevention. Future research could include developing osteoporosis prevention programs at an earlier age when girls are in grade school and junior high school. Teaching health promotion strategies for bone health is essential to all women across the life span.

Food preferences and food health beliefs of native school children and mothers in northern Alberta

Food preference ratings (degree of like or dislike) and health belief ratings for 24 traditional and store‐bought foods were examined among 91 Canadian Indian school children and their mothers (n = 42) in northern Alberta. A group of non‐native children (n = 29) attending the same school also participated. Ratings were obtained with five‐point Likert‐type scales presented in pictorial format. Preference scores of Native participants were highest tor apple, chicken, milk, bannock and moose, and lowest for beaver, birch syrup, Labrador tea and green beans. Health belief scores were highest for milk, carrots and apple, lowest for chocolate bar, potato chips and soft drinks. Differences between Native children and their mothers were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in preference for 11 foods, and in health beliefs for 5. Differences between Native and non‐native children were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in preference for 7 foods and in health beliefs for 3. Nutrition education programs for Native communities should utilize a variety of well‐liked traditional and store‐bought foods to demonstrate means of achieving a nutritionally adequate diet.