The impact of concept of health on health behavior

Although previous studies have examined selected factors influencing health behavior, the complex interplay of the concept of health and health behavior in persons with chronic illness has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the individual effects of six factors in the concept of health on the health behavior of Taiwanese people with chronic illness. A sample of 372 persons with chronic illness completed instruments measuring their concept of health and health behavior. Six proposed models were assessed using the maximum likelihood estimation, which is implemented by LISREL 8.3. The overall fit of the models tested in this study lends support to the assertion that the factors of the concept of health affect health behavior. Zest for life, serenity and meaning were the strongly affecting factors. These factors each accounted for 34-43% of the variance in health behavior. The results of this study support the notion that the health behavior of people with chronic illness can be predicted by their concept of health. Further research using a longitudinal design is needed to clarify the causal relationship between the concept of health and health behavior in Taiwanese people with chronic illness.