Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1986

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Nursing

Major Professor

Sandra P. Thomas

Committee Members

John Jozwiak, Leonard Lindsay

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to conduct a qualitative survey of the well elderly population concerning their preferences for health programs and to relate this information to measures of the subjects' health locus of control, their perception of their own health, and selected demographic factors. Twenty-eight women between the ages of 65 and 75 years old, selected from women who attended the J. T. O'Connor Senior Citizens Center, completed three questionnaires. Eight of those women participated in an additional taped interview concerning their preferences for health programs.

The interviews were analyzed by the use of content analysis and triangulated with the quantitative data. The instruments used were Wallston, Wallston, and DeVellis's (1978) Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, Rand Corporation's (1982) Health Perceptions Questionnaire (Form II), and a demographic questionnaire prepared by the researcher. Statistical analysis included measures of central tendency, linear correlation, frequency distributions, and t tests.

Sixty-four percent of the sample scored highest in internality. Internality was positively correlated with high self-reported health status (r=0.775). Internality and high self-rated health were found mostly among white, unmarried women who maintained a high degree of independence as demonstrated by driving a car, owning their home, and living alone.

Taped individuals who espoused internal beliefs (5) participated in exercise and nutrition classes, attended health lectures, and monitored their health through weekly or monthly checks. The majority of the internals were satisfied with the Center's programs, did not have plans to attend future programs, and did not know of any programs they would like to see offered. All the women who expressed external (powerful others) beliefs demonstrated high levels of participation and had plans to continue enrolling in future programs.

Health fairs were criticized by 6 of the 8 taped women because they offered many unnecessary checks and were tiring. This information and the methods employed in this study can be utilized by nurses to identify the well elderlys' needs and desires for health programs and to evaluate the effectiveness of present programs.

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