title: A population-based study of health-promoting behaviors and their predictors in Iranian women of reproductive age.
abstract: Health-promoting behaviors have been recognized as major factors for maintenance and improvement of health. The objective of this study was to determine the status of health-promoting behaviors and their predicting factors in Iranian women of reproductive age. This was a population-based cross-sectional study in which 1359 Iranian women of reproductive age were selected by proportional random multistage cluster sampling in Tehran. Questionnaires including sociodemographic characteristics, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II) and Personal Resource Questionnaire 85-Part 2 (PRQ85-Part 2) were completed by interview. The association between the dependent variables (HPLP-II and subscales) and the independent variables (social support and sociodemographic characteristics) was analyzed using the multivariable linear regression model. Among the six dimensions of health-promoting behaviors, women scored highest in interpersonal relations (3.08 ± 0.51) and lowest in physical activity (2.04 ± 0.64). The Pearson test indicated perceived social support to be significantly correlated with HPLP-II (r = 0.53; p < 0.001) and all its subscales (r = 0.12-0.60; p < 0.001). Multivariable regression analysis indicated social support to be a predictor of HPLP-II and all its subscales, except for physical activity. Social support and sociodemographic characteristics accounted for 29.8% of the variance in the HPLP-II score and 6.9-39.3 in the six subscales. The findings of the present study confirm the importance of social support and modifiable variables (sociodemographic) in the occurrence of health-promoting behaviors in women and accredit the theoretical relationships among the concepts of the health-promotion model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirghafourvand
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Community Based Participatory Research Center, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baheiraei
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saharnaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nedjat
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Easa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sakineh Mohammad-Alizadeh
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Charandabi
authors.affiliation: Community Based Participatory Research Center, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Majdzadeh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004777:Environment; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007492:Iran; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: health-promoting behaviors; social support; sociodemographic characteristics; women of reproductive age