Factors Related to Health Promotion Behaviors of Students at the Demonstration School, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok

Abstract

This research aimed to (1) study personal factors, predisposing factors, enabling factors, reinforcing factors and health promotion behaviors of students at Ramkhamhaeng University Demonstration School, and (2) to study the relationships between personal factors, predisposing factors, enabling factors, reinforcing factors and health promotion behaviors of students at Ramkhamhaeng University Demonstration School.
The sample used in this research was 180 students in Mathayom Suksa 4, Demonstration School, Ramkhamhaeng University. The study instrument was a questionnaire based on the concepts of the PRECEDE framework which included personal data, predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors, and health promotion behaviors. The contents of health promotion behaviors covered 6 sections i.e. (1) Food consumption healthy, (2) regular fitness and exercise, (3) stress management, (4) Avoiding addict drugs, (5) safety protection, and (6) anual health examination. The reliability of the questionnaire was 0.864. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as, percent, mean and standard deviation. Correlations were analysed by using Chi-square test and Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient with sigfinicant level at p = .05.
The research found that most sample was male, (51.10%), having normal nutrition (76.10%), no congenital disease (25.60%), received money allowance per month between 1,801- 3,399 Baht (67.80%), sleep hours per day between 5.34-8.66 hours (65.00%). The predisposing factors, knowledge and attitude towards health promotion behaviors, were reported as high level with 58.9 and 44.40 percents, respectively. The enabling factors, received information, and resources on health, were as moderate level as 47.80 and 55.00 percents, respectively. The reinforcing factors, health suggestion from social persons, were also at moderate level with 61.10 percent. Health promotion behaviors of students were at low level with 51.71 percent. Sleeping hours per day and money allowance were correlated with health promotion behaviors, statistically significant at the 0.05 level. There were no associations between gender, nutrition status (BMI) and health promotion behaviors (p > .05). Knowledge, attitudes towards health promotion, receivd health information, resources on health, health suggestions from social persons were correlated with health promotion behaviors (r = 0.324, r = 0.266, r = 0.237, /= 0.339, and 0.294 respectively) with statistically significant at the level of p< .01.
The results from this study have suggestion that the school should develop the activity program that integrate holistic health promotion behaviors in 6 aspects ie, (1) intake correct healthy foods, (2) regular fitness and exercise, (3) stress management, (4) avoid addict drugs, (5) safety protection, and (6) anual health examination. This program will help to prevent and resolve health problems of adolescents in order to be good adults with quality in the future.