Factors Affecting Health Promoting Lifestyle in Nursing Students
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting health promoting lifestyle in nursing students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done using a convenient sampling (n=682) in a three-year nursing college. The health promoting lifestyle was measured by the instrument of Walker's and self esteem was measured by the instrument of Rosenberg's. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square test, oneway ANOVA and Stepwise multiple regression. Results: The average score of health promoting lifestyle was 2.34. The score of psycho-social well-being subscale was higher than that of health promoting behavior subscale. The highest score was on the interpersonal relations subscale, and the lowest score was on the physical activity subscale. The self-esteem, mental health status, satisfaction with school life, school year, perceived economic status, and gender accounted for 31.9% of the variance of health promoting lifestyle. Conclusion: Self-esteem was the most powerful influencing variable of the health promoting lifestyle, and physical activity was the lowest score of the health promoting lifestyle subscale. Therefor nursing educators should consider to include a health promotion program with increasing self esteem and physical activity in the nursing curriculum.