The Relationship Between Basic Psychological Needs and Health Promoting Behaviors with Health Anxiety in Older Women: The Mediating Role of Resilience

Old age seems to be one of the most crucial stages of human life during which individuals encounter a wide range of changes, particularly in the realm of physical and psychological health. Health anxiety, especially in older adults, can have undesirable effects, making it important to examine the factors influencing this variable. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between basic psychological needs (BPNs) and health-promoting behaviors (HPBs) with health anxiety in older adults, through the mediating role of resilience. This was a correlational study, of path analysis type. The statistical population of this research included all older women residing in Tabriz, Iran in the spring of 2023, among whom 220 individuals were selected as the sample using convenience sampling method. The measurement tools included the Connor and Davidson’s Resilience Scale, BPNs Questionnaire, HPBs Questionnaire, and Health Anxiety Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient in SPSS-23 software and path analysis in LISREL 8.8 software. The results indicated that BPNs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) have a negative relationship with health anxiety in older women; HPBs (nutrition, physical activity, health responsibility, stress management, interpersonal relationships, and spiritual growth) have a negative relationship with health anxiety in older women. resilience had a negative relationship with health anxiety in older women. Moreover, BPNs were related to health anxiety in older women through resilience, as well as HPBs were related to health anxiety in older women through resilience. Therefore, it can be concluded that increasing resilience in older adults and fulfilling BPNs along with educating HPBs can prevent the increase of health anxiety.