Health protective behavior: The role of symptoms and a physician's advice

In an age of cost containment it is increasingly necessary to encourage the adoption of health protective behaviors (HPB) that will forestall or prevent the chronic diseases that have become the most pervasive health problem of developed societies. Many such behaviors are believed to prevent disease and promote health and yet little is known about the factors that influence some individuals to adopt them.;This research refines the definition of HPB and identifies two factors that influence individuals in adopting health protective behaviors; the presence of symptoms and a physician's advice. The specific aims of this research were to (1) review the issues surrounding the development of the concept of HPB; (2) refine the conceptual definition of HPB; (3) examine a national probability sample of 2436 individuals interviewed during 1980 to test the empirical applicability of the concept; and (4) discuss implications of findings with particular emphasis on their value for health education and public health policy.;Results indicate the five HPB studied: alcohol consumption, exercise, sleep, smoking, and weight control are individually and cumulatively related to health status. Certain characteristics of individuals are associated with practicing each of the five behaviors. Symptoms related to poor health practices and a physician's advice to adopt a HPB distinguish different groups of people engaging in HPB. Patients report that few doctors advise patients to adopt these HPB. Implications from this research indicated that knowledge of an individual's characteristics, including symptoms and advice, can assist policymakers in targeting populations for certain types of health education. Physician's advice as a simple, cost effective strategy, should be encouraged especially among certain groups of patients. Different health education strategies are suggested for different types of HPB as the characteristics of those with poor health practices vary with each behavior. Social networks are strongly associated with HPB and may be useful in developing effective methods of changing health behavior.