The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of experiences with cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease on self-reported health behaviors in older adolescents/young adults, conceptualized as 17 to 24 years of age. This study utilized a developmental perspective to review models of health motivation and prevention. Pertinent models are discussed, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior, models utilizing the concept of locus of control, the Biopsychosocial model, the Contextual/Social- Ecological model, as well as an Integrated Developmental model. The present study sampled university students to examine the impact on health behaviors of knowledge or experience with serious medical conditions. The overall hypothesis, based on the Integrated Developmental model (Cooper & Heffer, in preparation), was that illness experiences or knowledge influences self-report of health behaviors and health locus of control. Participants (n=459) were administered a demographic questionnaire, the Illness Experiences Questionnaire, the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales. Factor analysis was conducted on the YRBS, yielding three factors: Alcohol Use, Smoking Behaviors, and Sexual Activity. The MHLC is also comprised of three subscores: Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance. The research question examined differences on YRBS factors and MHLC scales by several independent variables. MANOVAs were conducted on the three YRBS factors and on the three MHLC scales by several independent variables. Results did not support the hypothesis that experiences with or knowledge of these illnesses are associated with differences in ratings of health behaviors and reported health locus of control.

Religion and spirituality are thought to be of great importance for the meaning and quality of life for many individuals, and research suggests that there may be important health benefits associated with religion and spirituality. Religion and spirituality should be related to health behaviors for a number of reasons. Health behaviors are important contributors to an individual's overall health, illness and mortality. Major negative health behaviors related to health outcomes are smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, risky driving, and high risk sexual behaviors. Health behaviors may also be linked to personality traits. The key trait examined for this study was extraversion. It includes adjectives such as being active, assertive, energetic, outgoing, and talkative. In this thesis, I take several hypotheses and explore the influence of extraversion, religiosity, and spirituality on health behaviors.

Research examining the relationship between psychological distress and health behaviors is limited, as most of these studies examine one type of psychological distress and relate it to one type of health behavior. To address this limitation, an exploratory study was conducted that included online self-report measures of a wide range of positive health behaviors (Health Behavior Checklist; HBC) and a wide range of different types of psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory; BSI). Participants were 762 undergraduate students from the University of Central Florida (55% female). Results revealed that the total BSI score showed statistically significant negative correlations with the HBC total score and all four HBC subscales. Thus, participants reporting more overall psychological distress reported that they engaged in fewer positive health behaviors, across all health behavior subtypes. Stepwise regressions that examined the nine BSI subscales and their relationship with the HBC total score revealed that the Hostility subscale of the BSI was the strongest and most consistent predictor of positive health behaviors (in a negative direction). Stepwise regressions also revealed additional relationships of the BSI subscales of Depression and Phobia to particular HBC subscales. The results of this exploratory study provide an initial model on the relationships of particular types of psychological distress that are related to particular types of health behaviors, which will inform future studies on this important topic area.

Although it is presumed that men who acquire a college education will also achieve middle-class status, middle-class status does not provide Black men with the anticipated reductions for some health risks. Black men who attend predominately white institutions (PWIs) are reported to face many obstacles such as racism, isolation, alienation, and lack of support compared to Black men who attend historically Black colleges/universities (HBCUs). Formative research methods were used to obtain information about stressors of Black college men and how these stressors influence their mental health and health behaviors. Focus groups captured men's understanding of mental health and their stressful life events while a questionnaire was used to obtain general health information, including depressive symptoms (i.e. feeling sad, nervous, hopeless, and worthless). Results suggest that there are no major differences between the health of Black college men at a PWI and a HBCU; however, men at each institution experience different levels of psychosocial stress as a function of their academic settings. Future research should explore the mental health of Black college men more thoroughly and include an in-depth exploration of their health practices.

This project assesses the effects certain variables have on African American adults that suffer from diabetes. These include behaviors of African Americans that contribute to diabetes such as; diet behavior and physical activity. Thus, the focus of this study is to examine the effects of these health behaviors on the likelihood of having diabetes among African Americans. This assessment will be used to provide insights as they pertain to African Americans and diabetes.

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The purpose of this study was to examine self-reported health behaviors (health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations and stress management) of Resident Directors who self-reported being affiliated with ACUHO-I. The second purpose of the study was to examine which areas of health behaviors, do Resident Directors believe, their participation influences the health behaviors of their students. This was completed by inviting Resident Directors to complete the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII). A total of (n=308) Resident Directors completed the HPLPII. The results of this study are ground breaking because it is the first study examining the health behaviors of Resident Directors. Results show that Resident Directors are minimally practicing health behaviors especially in the area of health responsibility.

Functional health status, morbidity and mortality are determined partly by health behaviours (World Health Organization, 2002), which have determinants of their own. Personality traits, such as Conscientiousness, have a strong association with health behaviours (Bogg & Roberts, 2004). There is a less consistent and generally weaker association between traits and health outcomes (e.g. Neuroticism and mortality). The central problem in this thesis is how to measure, model, maximize, and extend trait-health associations. Conceptual issues associated with modelling traits and health are discussed in chapter one. The next three chapters concern such measurement issues about: personality traits (chapter two), health behaviours (chapter three) and health outcomes, with particular reference to functional health status (chapter four). These chapters are followed by a move to modelling (chapter five), with particular reference to the generalized latent variable modelling (LVM) framework (Muth´en & Muth´en, 1998–2007). The HAPPLE study is introduced (chapter six) which is used to model associations between Conscientiousness and health criteria within the LVMframework (chapter seven). Moving beyond self-reported outcomes, which are a mono-method approach, the role of multiple health behaviours in predicting cardiovascular mortality is considered (chapter eight). In a third section, cortisol is introduced, which is a biomarker of stress reactivity. The diurnal profile of cortisol output is described (chapter nine). Latent growth curve modelling is used to illustrate its association with Neuroticism, in a sample of student volunteers (chapter 10). Taken together, the results highlight the need for a general framework of modelling techniques, in personality-health research. I conclude that biopsychosocial models with excellent explanatory power, which are still parsimonious, can be achieved with LVM and its extensions. However, trait researchers will need to state more clearly the intended destinations of their work in order to attract contributions from, and share knowledge with, other disciplines.

<p>Indonesia consistently records higher levels of maternal mortality than other countries in Southeast Asia with its same level of socioeconomic development. I use a quasi-experimental, difference-in-differences approach to understand whether the role of information on the risk of death in childbirth can change women’s reproductive behaviors. In the first two chapters, I use the Maternal Mortality Module from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Indonesia to examine fertility and reproductive behavior responses to a sister’s death in childbirth. Fertility desires remain relatively unchanged but women take up behaviors in subsequent births that avert the risk of maternal death. In the last chapter, I combine population-representative data from the DHS with a village-level census (PODES) on service availability to understand how a village-level intervention to improve obstetric service use using a birth preparedness and complications readiness (BPCR) approach may improve obstetric service use. In this study, I find that the Desa Siaga intervention in Indonesia improved knowledge of the danger signs of complications among women but not among men relative to villages that did not get the program while controlling for endogenous program placement. More women got antenatal care due to the program but use of a skilled birth attendant and postpartum care did not change as a result of the intervention. Both genders report discussing a blood donor in preparation for delivery.</p> / Dissertation