The purpose of this study is to identify predictors of participation in health promotion activities by elderly couples. Fifty-nine couples who had been married 35 years or more were recruited through the senior centers of three communities. Participants completed measures of perceived health, health value, health locus of control, social support, relationship quality, spousal influence, and participation in health promotion activities. Five variables accounted for 31% of the variance: relationship quality, perceived health, education, internal health locus of control, and social support.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anderson, K.
, & Tomlinson, P. (1992). The family health system as an emerging paradigmatic view for nursing. IMAGE: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 24,57-62.
2.
Auslander, G.
, & Litwin, H. (1991). Social networks, social support, and self-ratings of health among the elderly. Journal of Aging and Health, 3,493-510.
3.
Bandura, A.
(1986). Socialfoundations of thought and action: Cognition theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
4.
Bausell, R.
(1986). Health-seeking behavior among the elderly. The Gerontologist, 26, 556-558.
5.
Becker, M.
(Ed.). (1974). The health beliefmodel and personal health behavior. Thorofare, NJ: Charles B. Slack.
6.
Berg, R.
, & Cassells, J. (Eds.). (1990). The secondfifty years. Promoting health and preventing disability. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
7.
Black, J.
, & Kapoot, W. (1990). Health promotion and disease prevention in older people. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 38, 168-172.
8.
Brandtstadter, J.
, Krampen, G., & Heil, R. (1986). Personal control and emotional development in partnership relations during adulthood. In M. Baltes & P. Baltes (Eds.), The psychology of control and aging (pp. 265-296). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
9.
Brecht, M.
, Dracup, K., Moser, D., & Riegel, B. (1994). The relationship of marital quality and psychosocial adjustment to heart disease. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 9, 74-85.
10.
Brubaker, T.
, & Ade-Ridder, L. (1984). Introduction to special issue. Lifestyles, 7, 73-75.
11.
Cicirelli, V.
(1992). Family caregiving. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
12.
Cody, R.
, & Smith, J. (1991). Applied statistics and the SAS programming language (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
13.
Conn, V.
, & Armer, J. (1995). Older spouses: Similarity of health promotion behaviors. Journal of Family Nursing, 1, 397-414.
14.
Connidis, I.
, & Davies, L. (1990). Confidants and companions in later life: The place of family and friends. Journal of Gerontology, 45, S141-S149.
15.
Duffy, M.
(1988). Health promotion in the family: Current findings and directives for nursing research. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 13,109-117.
16.
Duffy, M.
, & MacDonald, E. (1990). Determinants of functional health of older persons. The Gerontologist, 30,503-509.
17.
Ford, G.
, & Procidano, M. (1990). The relationship of self-actualization to social support, life stress, and adjustment. Social Behavior and Personality, 18, 41-45.
18.
Frank-Stromborg, M.
, Pender, N., Walker, S., & Sechrist, K. (1990). Determinants of health-promoting lifestyles in ambulatory cancer patients. Social Science and Medicine, 31, 1159-1169.
19.
German, P.
, & Fried, L. (1989). Prevention and the elderly: Public health issues and strategies. Annual Review of Public Health, 10, 319-332.
20.
Gillis, A.
(1993). Determinants of a health promoting lifestyle: An integrative review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18, 345-353.
21.
Gilliss, C. L.
(1983). The family as the unit of analysis: Strategies for the nurse researcher. Advances in Nursing Science, 5, 50-59.
22.
Hinde, R.
(1979). Exchange and interdependence theories. In R. Hinde (Ed.), Toward understanding relationships (pp. 211-232). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
23.
Huston, T.
(1983). Power. In H. Kelley, E. Berscheid, A. Christensen, J. Harvey, T. Huston, G. Levinger, E. McClintock, L. Peplau, & D. Peterson, (Eds.), Close relationships (pp. 169-219). New York: Freeman.
24.
Johnson, J.
, Ratner, P., Bottorff, J., & Hayduk, L. (1993). An exploration of Pender's Health Promotion Model using LISREL. Nursing Research, 42,132-138.
25.
Kaplan, C.
, Barell, V., & Lusky, S. (1988). Subjective state of health and survival. Journal of Gerontology, 43, S114-S120.
26.
Kenny, D.
, & Kashy, D. (1991). Analyzing interdependence in dyads. In B. Montgomery & S. Duck (Eds.), Studying interpersonal interaction (pp. 275-285). New York: Guilford.
27.
Kranichfeld, M.
(1987). Rethinking family power. Journal of Family Issues, 8, 42-56.
28.
Leventhal, E.
, &Prohaska, T. (1986). Age, symptom interpretation, and health behavior. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 34,185-191.
29.
Litwak, E.
(1985). Helping the elderly: The complementary roles of informal networks and formal systems. New York: Guilford.
30.
Litwak, E.
, & Szelenyi, I. (1969). Primary group structures and their functions: Kin, neighbors, and friends. American Sociological Review, 34, 465-481.
31.
Lusk, S.
, & Kelemen, M. (1993). Predicting use of hearing protection: A preliminary study. Public Health Nursing, 10, 189-196.
32.
Lyons, J.
, Perrotta, P., & Hancher-Kvam, S. (1988). Perceived social support from family and friends: Measurement across disparate samples. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52, 42-47.
33.
Madden, M.
(1987). Perceived control and power in marriage: A study of marital decision making and task performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 13, 73-82.
34.
Meacham, J.
, & Emont, N. (1989). The interpersonal basis of everyday problem solving. In J. Sinnot (Ed.), Everyday problem solving (pp. 7-23). New York: Praeger.
35.
Miller, B.
, Rollins, B., & Thomas, D. (1982). On methods of studying marriages and families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 44, 851-873.
36.
Muhlenkamp, A.
, & Sayles, J. (1986). Self-esteem, social support, and positive health practices. Nursing Research, 35,334-338.
37.
Nitzan, S.
, & Paroush, J. (1985). Collective decision making. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
38.
Northouse, L.
, Jeffs, M., Cracchiolo-Caraway, A., Lampman, L., & Dorris, G. (1995). Emotional distress reportedbywomen and husbands prior tobreastbiopsy. Nursing Research, 44, 196-201.
39.
Norton, R.
(1983). Measuring marital quality: A critical look at the dependent variable. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45,141-151.
40.
Padula, C.
(1996). Older couples' decision making on health issues. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 18(6), 675-687.
41.
Pearlin, L.
, Mullan, J., Semple, S., & Skaff, M. (1990). Caregiving and the stress process: An overview of concepts and their measures. The Gerontologist, 39,583-591.
42.
Pender, N.
(1982). Health promotion in nursing practice. Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
43.
Pender, N.
(1987). Health promotion in nursing practice (2nd ed.). Norwalk, CT: Appleton & Lange.
44.
Pender, N.
, Walker, S., Sechrist, K., n& Frank-Stromborg, M. (1990). Predicting health-promoting lifestyles in the workplace. Nursing Research, 39, 326-332.
45.
Poole, M.
, & Billingsley, J. (1989). The structuring of dyadic decisions. In D. Brinberg & J. Jaccard (Eds.), Dyadic decision making (pp. 216-248). New York: Springer-Verlag.
46.
Procidano, M.
, & Heller, K. (1983). Measures of perceived social support from friends and family: Three validation studies. American Journal of Community Psychology, 11, 1-24.
47.
Qualls, W.
(1987). Household decision behavior: The impact of husbands' and wives' sex role orientation. Journal of Consumer Research, 14, 264-279.
48.
Rakowski, W.
(1984). Health psychology and later life. Research on Aging, 6,593-620.
49.
Rakowski, W.
(1988). Age cohorts and personal health behavior in adulthood. Research on Aging, 10, 3-35.
50.
Rakowski, W.
, Julius, M., Hickey, T., & Holder, J. (1987). Correlates of preventive health behavior in later life. Research on Aging, 9, 331-335.
51.
Rakowski, W.
, & Mor, V. (1992). The association of physical activity with mortality among older adults in the Longitudinal Study of Aging (1984-1988). Journal of Gerontology, 47, M122-M129.
52.
Ratner, P.
, Bottorff, J., Johnson, J., & Hayduk, L. (1994). The interaction effects of gender within the health promotion model. Research in Nursing & Health, 17,341-350.
53.
Riffle, K.
, Yoho, J., & Sams, J. (1989). Health-promoting behaviors, perceived social support, and self-reported health of Appalachian elderly. Public Health Nursing, 6, 204-211.
54.
Rokeach, M.
(1973). The nature of human values and value systems. New York: Macmillan.
55.
Scanzoni, J.
(1979). Social exchange and behavioral interdependence. In R Burgess & T. Huston (Eds.), Social exchange in developing relationships (pp. 61-98). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
56.
Schumm, W.
, Paff-Bergen, L., Hatch, R., Obiorah, F., Copeland, J., Meens, L., & Bugaighis, M. (1986). Concurrent and discriminant validity of the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 48, 381-387.
57.
Shanas, E.
(1979). The family as a social support in old age. The Gerontologist, 19,169-174.
58.
Simonsick, E.
(1993). Relationship between husband's health status and the mental health of older women. Journal of Aging and Health, 5,319-337.
59.
Spaid, W.
, & Barusch, A. (1994). Emotional closeness and caregiverburden in themarital relationship. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 21, 197-211.
60.
Sprey, J.
(1975): Family power and process: Toward a conceptual integration. In R. Cromwell & D. Olson (Eds.), Power in families (pp. 61-79). New York: John Wiley.
61.
Thompson, L.
, & Walker, A. (1982). The dyad as the unit of analysis: Conceptual and methodological issues. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 44, 889-900.
62.
Uchino, B.
, Kiecolt-Glaser, J., & Cacioppo, J. (1994). Construals of preillness relationship quality predict cardiovascular response in family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease victims. Psychology and Aging, 9, 113-120.
63.
Walker, S.
, Sechrist, K., & Pender, N. (1987). The Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile: Development and psychometric characteristics. Nursing Research, 36, 76-81.
64.
Walker, S.
, Volkan, K., Sechrist, K., & Pender, N. (1988). Health promoting lifestyles of older adults: Comparisons among young and middle aged adults. Advances in Nursing Science, 11, 76-90.
65.
Wallston, K. (1990). What to do with the MHLC scores once you get them. Unpublished manuscript, Vanderbilt University, School of Nursing, Nashville, TN.
66.
Wallston, K.
, Maides, S., & Wallston, B. (1976). Health-related information seeking as a function of health-related locus of control and health value. Journal of Research in Personality, 18, 215-222.
67.
Wallston, K.
, & Wallston, B. (1981). Health locus of control. In H. M. Lefcourt (Ed.), Research with the locus of control construct (Vol. 1, pp. 189-243). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
68.
Wallston, K.
, Wallston, B., & DeVellis, R. (1978). Development of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scales. Health Education Monographs, 6,160-170.
69.
Weeks, S.
, & O'Connor, P. (1994). Concept analysis of family + health = a new definition of family health. Rehabilitation Nursing, 19, 207-210.
70.
Weitzel, M.
(1989). A test of the health promotion model with blue collar workers. Nursing Research, 38, 99-104.
71.
Weitzel, M.
, & Walker, P. (1990). Predictive factors for health promotion behaviors in White, Hispanic, and Black blue collar workers. Family Community Health, 13f, 23-34.
72.
Willits, F.
, & Crider, D. (1988). Health rating and life satisfaction in later years. Journal of Gerontology, 43, 172-176.
73.
Windle, M.
, & Miller-Tutzaver, C. (1992). Confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity of the Perceived Social Support-Family Measure among adolescents. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 777-787.
