Objectives:Previous studies have shown relationships among personality, perceived efficacy, and proactive health behaviors. Although health behaviors are particularly important among seniors, little is known regarding predictors of health behaviors in older adults. The current study examined the extent to which facets of personality, perceived health competence (PHC), and health status predicted health behaviors among older adults. Methods:Ninety-seven older adults responded to questionnaires assessing health status, personality, PHC, and level of engagement in certain health behaviors. Results:Whereas higher levels of Conscientiousness and lower levels of Neuroticism predicted a greater likelihood of engaging in social support/relaxation behaviors, after controlling for health status and education, higher levels of PHC predicted greater exercise and dietary/health information-seeking behaviors. Discussion:These findings suggest the importance of considering facets of personality and PHC when evaluating health care strategies for the elderly.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ajzen, I. ,& Timko, C. (1986). Correspondence between health attitudes and behavior. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 7(4), 259-276.
2.
Baron, R. M. ,& Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173-1182.
3.
Booth-Kewley, S. ,& Vickers, R. R. (1994). Associations between major domains of personality and health behavior. Journal of Personality, 62(3), 281-298.
4.
Christensen, A. J. , & Smith, T. W. (1995). Personality and patient adherence: Correlates of the five-factor model in renal dialysis. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 63, 454-469.
5.
Christensen, A. J. , Wiebe, J. S., Benotsch, E. G.,& Lawton, W. J. (1996). Perceived health competence, health locus of control, and patient adherence in renal dialysis. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 20(4), 411-421.
6.
Costa, P. T., Jr. , & McCrae, R. R. (1987). Neuroticism, somatic complaints and disease: Is the bark worse than the bite?Journal of Personality, 52(2), 301-316.
7.
Costa, P. T., Jr. , McCrae, R. R., Zonderman, A. B., Barbano, H. E., Lebowitz, B.,& Larson, D. M. (1986). Cross-sectional studies of personality in a national sample: 2. Stability in neuroticism, extraversion, and openness. Psychology and Aging, 1(2), 144-149.
8.
Digman, J. M. (1990). Personality structure: Emergence of the five-factor model. Annual Review of Psychology, 41, 417-440.
9.
DiMatteo, M. R. , & DiNicola, D. D. (1982). Achieving patient compliance: The psychology of the medical practitioner’s role. New York: Pergamon.
10.
Dufour, M. , Colliver, J., Grigson, M. B.,& Stinson, F. (1990). Use of alcohol and tobacco. In J. C. Cornoni-Huntley, R. R. Huntley, & J. J. Feldman (Eds.), Health status and well-being of the elderly(pp. 172-183). New York: Oxford University Press.
11.
Grembowski, D. , Patrick, D., Diehr, P., Durham, M., Beresford, S., Kay, E., & Hecht, J. (1993). Self-efficacy and health behavior among older adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 34, 89-104.
12.
House, J. S. , Kessler, R. C., Herzog, A. R., Mero, R. P., Kinney, A. M.,& Breslow, M. J. (1992). Social stratification, age, and health. In K. W. Schaie, D. Blazer,& J. S. House (Eds.), Aging, health behaviors, and health outcomes(pp. 1-32). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
13.
John, O. P. , Donahue, E. M., & Kentle, R. L. (1991). The “big five” inventory—Versions 4a and 5a(Technical report). Berkeley, CA: Institute of Personality Assessment and Research.
14.
Johnson, S. B. (1992). Methodological issues in diabetes research: Measuring adherence. Diabetes Care, 15(11), 1658-1667.
15.
Kaplan, G. A. (1992). Health and aging in the Alameda county study. In K. W. Schaie, D. Blazer, & J. S. House (Eds.), Aging, health behaviors, and health outcomes(pp. 69-88). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
16.
Kaplan, G. A. , Seeman, T. E., Cohen, R. D., Knudsen, L. P.,& Guralnik, J. M. (1987). Mortality among the elderly in the Alameda county study: Behavioral and demographic risk factors. American Journal of Public Health, 77, 307-312.
17.
Kaplan, R. M. , Atkins, C. J., & Reinsch, S. (1984). Specific efficacy expectations mediate exercise compliance in patients with COPD. Health Psychology, 3, 223-242.
18.
Kurtz, S.M.S. (1990). Adherence to diabetes regimens: Empirical status and clinical applications. Diabetes Educator, 16(1), 50-56.
19.
Leventhal, E. A. , Hansell, S., Diefenbach, M.,& Leventhal, H. (1996). Negative affect and selfreport of physical symptoms: Two longitudinal studies of older adults. Health Psychology, 15(3), 193-199.
20.
McCrae, R. R. , & John, O. P. (1992). An introduction to the five-factor model and its applications. Journal of Personality, 60, 172-215.
21.
McCrae, R. R. , Paul, T., Costa, J.,& Bosse, R. (1978). Anxiety, extroversion, and smoking. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 17, 269-273.
22.
Meichenbaum, D. H. , & Fong, G. T. (1993). How individuals control their own minds: A constructive narrative perspective. In D. M. Wegner & J. W. Pennebaker (Eds.), Century psychology series(pp. 473-490). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
23.
Meichenbaum, D. H. , & Turk, D. C. (1987). Facilitating treatment adherence: A practitioner’s guidebook. New York: Plenum.
24.
Moore, R. D. , & Pearson, T. A. (1989). Moderate alcohol consumption and coronary disease: A review. Medicine, 65, 242-267.
25.
Muhlenkamp, A. F. , & Brown, N. J. (1983, September). The development of an instrument to measure health practices. Paper presented at the American Nurses Association Council of Nurse Researchers Conference, Minneapolis.
26.
Padula, A. C. (1997). Development of the health-promotion activities of older adults measure. Public Health Nursing, 14(2), 123-128.
27.
Pearson, T. A. (1997). AHA science advisory: Alcohol and heart disease. Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 65(5), 1567-1569.
28.
Pender, N. (1984). Health promotion and illness prevention. Annual Review of Nursing Research, 2, 83-105.
29.
Rodin, J. (1986). Aging and health: Effects of the sense of control. Science, 233(4770), 1271-1276.
30.
Rodin, J. ,& Salovey, P. (1989). Health psychology. Annual Reviewof Psychology, 40, 533-579.
31.
Seeman, M. , & Seeman, T. E. (1983). Health behavior and personal autonomy: A longitudinal study of the sense of control in illness. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 144-160.
32.
Shelbourne, C. D. , Hays, R. D., Ordway, L., DiMatteo, M. R., & Kravitz, R. L. (1992). Antecedents to adherence to medical recommendations: Results from the medical outcome study. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15(5), 447-468.
33.
Siegler, I. C. ,& Costa, P. T. (1994). Personality and breast cancer screening behaviors. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 16, 347-351.
34.
Smith, C. A. , Dobbins, C., & Wallston, K. A. (1991). The mediational role of perceived competence in adaptation to rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 21, 1218-1247.
35.
Smith, M. S. , Wallston, K. A.,& Smith, C. A. (1995). The development and validation of the perceived health competence scale. Health Education Research, 10(1), 51-64.
36.
Smith, T. W. ,& Williams, P. G. (1992). Personality and health: Advantages and limitations of the five-factor model. Journal of Personality, 60(2), 395-423.
37.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . (1987). Physician contacts by sociodemographic and health characteristics: United States, 1982-83(Publication No. DHS 87-1589). Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office.
38.
Vickers, R. R., Jr. , Conway, T. L., & Hervig, L. K. (1990). Demonstrations of replicable dimensions of health behaviors. Preventive Medicine, 19, 377-401.
39.
Vingerhoets, A.J.J.M. , Croon, M., Jeninga, A. J.,& Menges, L. J. (1990). Personality and health habits. Psychology and Health, 4, 333-342.
40.
Waller, K. V. ,& Bates, R. C. (1992). Health locus of control and self-efficacy beliefs in a healthy elderly sample. American Journal of Health Promotion, 6(4), 302-309.
41.
Wallston, K. A. (1992). Hocus-pocus, the focus isn’t strictly on locus: Rotter’s social learning theory modified for health. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 16(2), 183-199.
42.
Wallston, K. A. , Wallston, B. S., Smith, S., & Dobbins, C. J. (1987). Perceived control and health. Current Psychological Research & Reviews, 6(1), 5-25.
43.
Watson, D. , & Pennebaker, J. W. (1989). Health complaints, stress, and distress: Exploring the central role of negative affectivity. Psychological Review, 96(2), 234-254.
44.
Wiebe, J. S. ,& Christensen, A. J. (1996). Adherence in chronic illness: Personality and coping in context. Journal of Personality, 64(4), 815-835.
45.
Wilson, J. W. , Enns, C. W., Goldman, J. D., Tippett, K. S., Mickle, S. J., Cleveland, L. E.,& Chahill, P. S. (1997, June 2). Data tables: Combined results from USDA’s 1994 and 1995 continuing survey of food intakes by individuals and 1994 and 1995 diet and health knowledge survey[Online]. ARS Food Surveys Research Group. Available (under “Releases”): http://www.barc.usda.gov.gov/bhnrc/foodsurvey/home.htm.
