The transtheoretical model: gender differences across 3 health behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate gender differences in stage-of-change distribution, self-efficacy, and decisional balance, for 3 health behaviors.


METHODS
Five hundred fifty-four (males = 107; females = 447) low-income, predominantly African American, patients completed stage-of- change, self-efficacy, and decisional balance scales for smoking cessation, exercise adoption, and dietary fat reduction.


RESULTS
Males and females differ in stage of change for smoking and exercise, but not dietary fat intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender-specific interventions may be needed to promote certain health behaviors but not others, and self-efficacy and decisional balance may be related differently to stage of change in low-income populations.
O'Hea
Erin L
EL
UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. Eohea1@yahoo.com
Wood
Karen B
KB
Brantley
Phillip J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D035841:Behavioral Research; D003657:Decision Making; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D015144:Southeastern United States; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires