Self-efficacy and health promotion behaviors of older adults in Iran

Increasing healthy behaviors is the major challenge facing health professionals and populations globally. Our purpose in this study was to ascertain if a relationship exists between self-efficacy and health promotion behaviors in a sample of older Iranian adults. The organizing framework for the study was Pender’s (1996) revised Health Promotion Model. The study participants were 102 community-dwelling old people residing in Yazd district. The results supported Pender’s Health Promotion Model in which self-efficacy accounted for 58% of variance in health promotion behaviors. Health promotion behaviors were found to be correlated with level of education. Additionally, there were associations between self-efficacy and gender, marital status, and level of education. It was concluded that interventions aimed at improving self-efficacy may improve health promotion behaviors of older adults.