OBJECTIVE: This study examined the status of health-related behaviors among rural residents and the factors influencing the practice of such behaviors. METHODS: One thousand and ninety subjects aged 15 years or over in a rural community, Anhui Province, China were surveyed. A questionnaire was used to collect information on the health knowledge, attitude and behavior of the subjects. Information on health behavior included smoking, drinking, dietary habits, regular exercises, sleeping pattern and oral health behavior. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking and drinking in the male subjects was 46.5% and 46.9%, respectively. There was a positive significant association between smoking and drinking. Only 8.3% of all subjects ate three regular meals a day regularly. Among subjects who ate two meals a day, 89.7% did not have breakfast. Only 1.7% of subjects took part in regular exercise. About 85% of subjects slept 6 to 8 h per day. Only 38.4% of the respondents had the habit of hand washing before eating and after using the lavatory. 79.3% of the subjects brushed their teeth every day, and among them, only 10.6 percent brushed their teeth twice a day. Further analyses showed that 64.8% of subjects had 3-5 items of positive health behaviors out of 8 items and only 16.9% had six or more items. Logistical regression analyses suggested that better health behavior was affected by sex, age, years of education, income and health knowledge. CONCLUSION: The status of health behaviors among rural residents was generally poor. It is thus urgent to reinforce health education in rural communities in China.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the status of health-related behaviors among rural residents and the factors influencing the practice of such behaviors. METHODS: One thousand and ninety subjects aged 15 years or over in a rural community, Anhui Province, China were surveyed. A questionnaire was used to collect information on the health knowledge, attitude and behavior of the subjects. Information on health behavior included smoking, drinking, dietary habits, regular exercises, sleeping pattern and oral health behavior. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking and drinking in the male subjects was 46.5% and 46.9%, respectively. There was a positive significant association between smoking and drinking. Only 8.3% of all subjects ate three regular meals a day regularly. Among subjects who ate two meals a day, 89.7% did not have breakfast. Only 1.7% of subjects took part in regular exercise. About 85% of subjects slept 6 to 8 h per day. Only 38.4% of the respondents had the habit of hand washing before eating and after using the lavatory. 79.3% of the subjects brushed their teeth every day, and among them, only 10.6 percent brushed their teeth twice a day. Further analyses showed that 64.8% of subjects had 3-5 items of positive health behaviors out of 8 items and only 16.9% had six or more items. Logistical regression analyses suggested that better health behavior was affected by sex, age, years of education, income and health knowledge. CONCLUSION: The status of health behaviors among rural residents was generally poor. It is thus urgent to reinforce health education in rural communities in China.
Authors: André Smith; Michael I MacEntee; B Lynn Beattie; Mario Brondani; Ross Bryant; Peter Graf; Kathryn Hornby; Karen Kobayashi; Sabrina T Wong Journal: J Cross Cult Gerontol Date: 2013-03
Authors: Paul Muntner; Donfeng Gu; Rachel P Wildman; Jichun Chen; Wenqi Qan; Paul K Whelton; Jiang He Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2005-07-28 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Yang Gao; Li Ping Li; Jean Hee Kim; Nathan Congdon; Joseph Lau; Sian Griffiths Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2010-02-03 Impact factor: 3.295