PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate factors determining health behavior for middle-aged adults in relation to stress coping behaviors, cognitive factors, social support, and sociodemographic variables. METHOD: The questionnaire survey was carried out on a convenience sample of 203 middle aged in a community settings. The data analysis procedure included frequency, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regressions using health behavior as dependent variable. RESULT: Among the sociodemographic variables, factors such as sex, educational and eonomic levels were associated with the health behaviors. There were significant correlations between health behaviors and saliency of health, social support, and positive-stress coping behaviors. Stepwise multiple regression revealed that the factors such as positive-stress coping behaviors, saliency of health, sex, and education turned out to be significant affecting factors. Twenty eight percent of varience in health behavior was explained by these factors. CONCLUSION: Positive-stress coping methods were turned out to be the most important effective factors in practicing of health behaviors of middle aged. The necessity of an intervention considering the situation related to their stress and coping methods in middle aged so as to promote positive health behaviors was suggested.
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