A Study on the Health Promotion Behaviors in Rural Areas

일부 농촌 주민의 건강 증진 행태에 관한 연구

Objectives : This study is to evaluate the status of health promotion behaviors and life styles in rural areas. Methods : A self-administered questionnaire survey was carried out for 1,350(men 461 persons, women ; 889 persons) people in rural areas ages of 30 years and older in Buk-myun, Uljn-Gun and Kikye-myun, Pohang-City, Kyungsangbuk-Do from March 13 to 25 in 1999. We established health promoting scores by using data results. Collected data was analyzed through the chi-square trend test, Student's t-test, ANOVA and multiple comparison. The data was analyzed using a SPSS/win statistical package. Results The age-adjusted prevalence of individual health promoting behavior by sex was 39.4% in men and 94.0% in women in regard to non smoking 39.4% and 92.5% in non-drinking 17.2% and 13.1% in physical exercise on a regular basis 79.8% and 80.0% in a regular diet 81.6% and 75.6% in maintaining desirable body mass index 81.2% and 78.2% in sufficient physical rest 84.2% and 82.1% in sufficient mental rest 48.4% and 40.6% in supplemental intake for health. The age-adjusted proportion for a screening examination in stomach cancer by sex was 39.9% in men and 37.1% in women 31.8% and 28.0% in liver cancer 17.0% and 12.7% in colon cancer 37.0% and 31.0% in undergoing a medical health screening. The health promoting scores were statistically significant, higher in the younger aged women's group(p<0.01). In spite of very low health promoting scores, some men thought of themselves healthy. Conclusions : The health promoting scores showed a gradual improvement as ages in men increase. Although men in ages of 30 to 40 were found to have lower scores in their health promoting scores, they were still to believe that none of health status is problematic. However, it was shown a vice-versa effect in women. They thought of their health as in a bad condition, but in measurement scores outranked their personal beliefs. In general, as ages increase one tends to consider of his or her health status poor. Therefore the plans for health improvement are needed to be come up.

농촌 사회는 60세 이상의 노령인구가 점차 증가하고 있고, 연령이 증가할수록 본인이 느끼는 건강 상태를 나쁘게 인식하고 있는 것으로 나타나 이에 대한 대책이 필요할 것이다. 남성에서는 연령 이 증가할수록 건강증진 행태 점수가 높게 조사되었으며, 30~40대 연령층에서 건강증진 행태 점수가 가장 낮으면서 본인의 건강을 과신하는 것으로 조사되었다. 여성에서는 연령이 증가할수록 본인의 건강이 나쁘다고 인식하고 있었으며, 건강증진 행태 점수도 낮게 조사되었다. 농촌 지역 남성을 대상으로 한 건강증진 노력은 젊은 연령층을 중점적으로 올바른 건강행태 교육을 통해 지속적인 건강증진에 주력해야 할 것이다. 특히 30대~40대 연령층을 중점적으로 금연 운동에 노력해야 할 것이며, 40대~50대 연령층에게는 적절한 체중관리를 위한 프로그램 개발에 노력해야 할 것이다. 여성에서는 고연령층을 대상으로 건강증진에 노력해야 할 것이며, 특히 60대~70대 고령의 노인들이 할 수 있는 운동 프로그램 개발 노력과 40대~50대 연령층의 체중관리에도 노력해야 할 것이다.