[Unhealthy behaviors and their reasons in the thinking of employees].
BACKGROUND
This paper outlines the beliefs of Polish employees about adverse effects of their own behavior on the health state along with underlying reasons for its health-damaging forms.


METHODS
The research was carried out in 2002 as a questionnaire-based interview. It covered a random sample of 1134 employees working in 250 enterprises that hire over 100 people.


RESULTS
More than a half of respondents positively evaluated the influence of their behavior on health, but only 12% of them did avoid any type of health-damaging behavior. The respondents believed that in their conduct the following factors were most detrimental to their health: shortage of rest (50%), neglect of physical fitness (38%), smoking (34%), unhealthy nutrition (33%) and disregard to morbid symptoms (28%). Among the reasons for unhealthy behavior they emphasized various habitual aspects, the wish to derive pleasure, relaxation, and sense of freedom, and also avoidance of thinking about adverse effects of such a behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Health education should to a much greater degree take into account individual motives for health-damaging behavior instead of focusing on dissemination of general knowledge.
Puchalski
Krzysztof
K
Z Krajowego Centrum Promocji Zdrowia w Miejscu Pracy, Instytutu Medycyny Pracy im. prof. J. Nofera, Lodzi. whpp@imp.lodz.pl
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011044:Poland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires