Health-promoting behaviors among high school students in Hamadan in 2013

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescence is a period of change in the development of body, mind and social relations. During this period, persons gradually assume responsibility for their health. These changes put adolescents at risk of developing health-risk behaviors. This study was conducted to evaluate the health-promoting behaviors among high school students in Hamadan in 2013. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study. High school students were selected as target group and 360 of them were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method in 2013. Health-promoting behaviors questionnaire was used to collect data. For data analysis b software SPSS version 16 mean, standard deviation and frequency were used. Results: The results showed that from six health-promoting behaviors, physical activity and health responsibility were not in good condition among the students. 88.1% of the subjects had well status in self-actualization and 48.9% of them had good health responsibility behavior. 57.8% of the students had appropriate nutritional behaviors and 91.9% mentioned perceived social support status at the high level. 55.8% found stress management behaviors good and 41.9% of the subjects expressed that they had good physical activity. Conclusion: Providing training programs, in order to improve health behaviors and prepare training materials and textbooks suitable for the needs of this group of the society, can be entirely beneficial and enhance the level of physical and mental health of the students.

Keywords

• health promotion
• behavior
• students