Determinants of college students' health-promoting lifestyles.

This descriptive study of 151 university students in Boston, Massachusetts, was undertaken to determine the relationships of their perceived health status, sex, grade point average, and health and nonhealth majors to their health-promoting lifestyles, using the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) II, based on Pender's model. Students' perceived health status was significantly predictive of total HPLP II, exercise, stress management, and spiritual growth. College women practiced significantly better nutrition, interpersonal relationships, health responsibility, and total HPLP II than men. The whole sample scored lower in stress management than any previous group studied. Male students, those reporting poor health, and all students are targeted for intervention and research in their deficient areas. Guidelines for nursing practice are derived from the HPLP II questionnaire. These clinically significant findings may guide nurse practitioners to intervene in the health awareness and practices of college students.