Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1983

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Robert L. Williams

Committee Members

Sylvia E. Hart, Mary Sue Younger, Mark A. Hector, Schuyler W. Huck, Priscilla White

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between selected predictor variables and health status of Americans in middle adulthood. Independent variables included health locus of control, health value, stressful life events, social support, health habits, self-management effectiveness, genetic predisposition, level of education, income, and gender.

Primary data collection sites were the 1982 World's Fair and a metropolitan general hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. Subjects were 251 individuals in various stages of the health-illness continuum in middle adulthood from 32 states in the United States of America.

Instruments included the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (Wallston, Wallston, and DeVellis, 1978); the Self-Description Form (Thomas, Williams, and Olsen, 1982); the Current Health Subscale of Ware's (1976) Health Perceptions Questionnaire, Form II; the Health Habits, Social Stress, and Social Health subscales of the Rand Medical History Questionnaire, Form A (1979); a modified form of Wallston, Maides, and Wallston's (1976) Value Survey; and two questionnaires developed by the researcher to assess genetic predisposition and sociodemographic characteristics.

Statistical analyses included measures of central tendency, t tests, analysis of variance, linear correlation, and multiple regression. The combination of independent variables selected for the study accounted for 57% of the variance in health status. Consistent with previous studies, genetic predisposition, stressful life events, education, and income contributed to the variance in health status. However, the results of this study suggest that the modifiable attitudinal and behavioral variables are as salient, and perhaps more salient, to health than environmental or genetic factors which are uncontrollable.

Internal locus of control was the strongest predictor of good health in the multiple regression analysis. Internal locus was positively related to behavioral variables such as health habits, whereas both chance locus and powerful others locus were negatively related to health maintenance activities. Individuals with a preponderance of healthful habits had significantly better health even when there was high genetic predisposition or high levels of stress. Good self-managers achieved a better balance across the major aspects of life than poor self-managers. Implications for future research and for health teaching and counseling were discussed.

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