Use of Theory to Examine Health Responsibility in Urban Adolescents

Abstract

The study's purpose was to examine the factors that may influence health responsibility among adolescents. More specifically, this study examined relationships among health responsibility, resilience, neighborhood perception, social support, and health promoting behaviors in adolescents, between the ages of 13 and 18years old. The Health Promotion Model was used as the theoretical framework. This study empirically tested theoretical relationships postulated in the literature between health responsibility and the variables: (a) resilience (b) social support (c) neighborhood perception (d) social support and (e) health promoting behaviors.

Design/methods: A correlational study design was used. A convenience sample of 122 adolescents in an urban setting completed questionnaires assessing health responsibility, resilience, social support, neighborhood perception, health promoting behaviors, and a demographic questionnaire. Pearson correlations were used to examine relationships among variables.

Results: A statistically significant relationship was found between health responsibility and healthy promoting behaviors (r=0.733, p<0.001) and between health responsibility and neighborhood perception (r=0.163, p<0.01). No relationships were found between the dependent variable of health responsibility and the independent variables of resilience and social support in this population.

Conclusions: Study findings help contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the factors that influence health responsibility among urban adolescents to promote adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors among this population.

Practice implications: Nurses need to educate adolescents to provide them with a good understanding of the consequences of health behaviors so that they can assess their own risk and make responsible, healthy choices.

Keywords: Adolescents; Health promotion; Health responsibility.