The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to describe relationships among three spiritually-related variables (psychosocial self-transcendence, spiritual self-transcendence, and religious self-transcendence), and two health-related variables: illness distress (as an indicator of emotional well-being), and health-promoting behaviors in African American women diagnosed with breast cancer. A secondary purpose was to describe spiritually-related perspectives and behaviors reported by these women in reference to minimizing their illness distress and supporting healthy behaviors during their breast cancer trajectory. A convenience sample of 537 women with breast cancer completed an electronic survey. In Qualtrics, an on-line survey tool, six questionnaires: Demographic and Health-Related Questionnaire, Reed's (1991) Self-Transcendence Scale, Reed's (1986) Spiritual Perspective Scale, Spiritual–Religious Practices Scale, Distress Scale, and Walker's (1987) Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, were formatted to measure each of the variables stated in the research questions. In addition, a subgroup of 10 women were interviewed by phone to obtain a more in-depth understanding of the relevance of spiritually-related factors in African American women coping with breast cancer. Results of the study revealed several significant positive relationships between the independent and dependent variables. All three self-transcendence variables and many of the demographic and health related variables were found to be significant in explaining illness distress and the level of engagement in health promoting behaviors. In addition, the results of this study will contribute to better understanding of how spiritually-related variables and selected demographics may be relevant in helping African American breast cancer survivors reduce illness distress and modify health behaviors. Results from telephone interviews provide relevant data related to self-transcendence, illness distress, and level of engagement in health promoting behaviors.

Stress is the main contributing risk factor in the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes as well as mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms. In particular, job stress may undermine the productivity, morale, relationships, and well-being of employees. Mounting research demonstrate that leisure can contribute to one’s health and well-being by enhancing a stress coping mechanism. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate stress coping and health-promoting behaviors in conjunction with leisure by comparing three types of leisure (active, passive, and social). In addition, the associations between types of leisure motivation and types of leisure, personal attributes influencing types of leisure, and personal attributes moderating the impact of types of leisure motivation on active leisure, were examined. A cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing electronic surveys containing five instruments (Types of Leisure, Leisure Motivation, Coping Self-Efficacy, Perceived Stress, and Health-Promoting Behaviors) along with a demographic questionnaire to 3739 Southern Illinois University (SIU) full-time employees. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) was used to provide the theoretical framework for this study. Perceived stress, coping self-efficacy, and health-promoting behaviors in conjunction with types of leisure were examined. SDT, which mainly posits human psychological well-being induced by fostering intrinsic motivation as opposed to extrinsic motivation, derived research questions with respect to the relationships between types of leisure, types of leisure motivation, and health-promoting behaviors. In addition, the influences of types of leisure motivation on alleviation of perceived stress were examined by comparing the types of leisure (active, passive, and social). For the demographic variables, the influences of personal attributes such as age and BMI on types of leisure were examined. Lastly, whether perceived health status moderates the effect of the type of leisure motivation on active leisure was investigated. Demographic data showed that out of 605 (N = 605) who participated in the survey, 448 participants completed all the survey questions. Statistical analyses which employ descriptive, Pearson correlation, simple/simultaneous regression, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were performed to investigate the research questions. The analyses revealed that all three types of leisure (active, passive, and social) were positively correlated with each other, coping self-efficacy, health-promoting behaviors and negatively correlated with perceived stress. Also, coping self-efficacy significantly predicted health-promoting behaviors as well as perceived stress. With respect to the associations between types of leisure motivation and types of leisure, intrinsic leisure motivation toward stimulation had the strongest significant association with active leisure. Intrinsic leisure motivation toward knowledge had the strongest significant association with passive leisure. Extrinsic leisure motivation identified had the strongest significant association with social leisure. With regard to types of leisure motivation influencing perceived stress, intrinsic leisure motivation toward external regulation was the strongest significant predictor for elevated levels of perceived stress even after taking into account intrinsic leisure motivation toward stimulation and extrinsic leisure motivation identified. In addition, extrinsic leisure motivation identified significantly predicted lowered levels of perceived stress. With regard to the association between types of leisure motivation and health-promoting behaviors, extrinsic leisure motivation identified had the strongest significant association with health-promoting behaviors. For the demographic variables in conjunction with types of leisure, females exhibited a significantly higher score on social leisure than males and education levels influenced active leisure, indicating that employees with a master's degree had a significantly higher score on active leisure than those with bachelor's degree or some college/high school diploma. Perceived health status significantly predicted active leisure, indicating that university employees with higher levels of perceived health status were more likely to participate in active leisure than those with lower levels of perceived health status. Lastly, the interaction between perceived health status and intrinsic leisure motivation toward stimulation was significant, indicating that the impact of intrinsic leisure motivation toward stimulation on active leisure differed depending on perceived health status. In other words, the impact of intrinsic leisure motivation toward stimulation was significantly greater in university employees with low perceived health status as compared to those with high perceived health status. This study seems to be meaningful in suggesting that leisure can be a contributing factor for health possibly through reducing perceived stress and enhancing health behaviors. Also, meaningful engagement in leisure may play a role as an effective stress coping strategy, which may lead to long term health-promoting behaviors by fostering intrinsic motivation. Personal attributes such as age, BMI, education level, and perceived health status may impact participating in active leisure. Furthermore, perceived health status may moderate the impact of intrinsic leisure motivation toward stimulation on active leisure. Further research comparing types of leisure impacting stress and health behaviors with more well-refined types of leisure scale is warranted.

Pender’s health promotion model guided this descriptive/correlational study exploring the relationship between religiosity and health-promoting behaviors of pregnant women at Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs). A consecutive sample included women who knew they were pregnant at least 2 months, could read/write English, and visited PRCs in eastern Pennsylvania. Participants completed self-report surveys that examined religiosity, demographics, pregnancy-related variables, services received at PRCs, and health-promoting behaviors. Women reported they “sometimes” or “often” engaged in health-promoting behaviors, Hispanic women reported fewer health-promoting behaviors than non-Hispanic women, and women who attended classes at the centers reported more frequent health-promoting behaviors than those who did not attend classes. In separate multiple linear regressions, organized, non-organized, and intrinsic religiosity and satisfaction with surrender to God explained additional variance in health-promoting behaviors above and beyond what Hispanic ethnicity and attending classes at the PRCs explained in pregnant women at PRCs.

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The purposes of this study were to examine (a) health promoting behaviors, (b) physical activity levels, (c) exercise stages of change levels, and (d) exercise preferences of students who had just entered the university by gender and residence. Participants were 438 students from Middle East Technical University (METU) English Preparatory school. Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (AHPS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Physical Activity Stages of Change Questionnaire (PASCQ), and Physical Activity Preferences Check-list were used for the data collection. Descriptive statistics, nonparametric statistical methods (Mann Whitney U test, Pearson chi-square test), and a one-way MANOVA were used for the data analysis. According to AHPS results, female students&amp / #8217 / health promoting behaviors were better than those of male students except exercise behavior. Students living at home had higher scores on nutrition behavior and students living in dormitory had higher scores on stress management behavior (p &lt / .05). According to the IPAQ results, male students were more physically active than female counterparts. Students who were living in dormitory had higher physical activity levels than students living at home (p &lt / .05). PASCQ findings indicated no significant differences on the exercise stages of change levels by gender and residence (p &gt / .05). In general, students were at pre-contemplation 9.2%, contemplation 39.3%, preparation 27.8%, action 14.5%, and maintenance 9.2% stages. Swimming, walking, and table tennis were the three most frequently preferred physical activities. In conclusion, female students had better health promoting behaviors than those of male students except exercise behavior. Female students and students living at home were more at risk of inactivity. Approximately 80% of the METU English Preparatory school students&amp / #8217 / physical activity levels were not satisfactory for a healthy life. University physical activity facilities, extracurricular programs and the courses should be reconsidered to support the health promoting behaviors of these students.

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No description available.