The Relationship of Health Behavior with Self-esteem and Self-efficacy in Students of Yazd Shahid Sadooghi University of Medical Sciences (2005)

Health behaviors refer to activities done for maintaining, supporting and improving individual health status regardless of actual or present health status. There are some evidences showing direct relationship between health behavior and educational success. This study was done to determine the relationship between self-esteem and self-efficacy with health behaviors among students of Yazd Shahid Sadooghi University of Medical Sciences. This correlational study was performed on 309 students selected by stratified random sampling. Data gathering was done by using a questionnaire that its validity and reliability had been approved respectively by experts and calculating kronbachs-alpha coefficient (0.78 for self-esteem, 87% for self-efficacy and 0.74 for health behavior). According to the results, students got 60.7% of the self-esteem score, 62.3% of the self-efficacy score and 74.8% of the health behavior score. Health behavior showed significant relationship with self-esteem (r= 0.14, P=0.013) and self-efficacy (r= 0.31, P=0.0001). Regression analysis showed that age, sex, family size, self-esteem and self-efficacy all together explain 15.9% of health behaviors variance and among them, self-efficacy was the most important predicting factor. Health behavior in studied students was favorable in general, but it was poor in regard to physical activity. Since the results of this study showed the relationship of self-esteem and self- efficacy with health behaviors and role of these factors on educational success, planning for improving self-esteem, self- efficacy and consequently health behaviors are recommended.