APPLICATION OF A SHARED THEORY OR MODEL TO FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER SPECIALTY
Western Journal of Nursing Research November 2000, Vol. 22, No. 7
Basic Need Status and Health-Promoting Self-Care
Behavior in Adults1
Gayle J. Acton Porntip Malathum
Health-promoting self-care behavior emphasizing positive lifestyle practices may improve the health and quality of life of adults. One variable that may influence health-related decisions is the status of basic needs as described by Maslow. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among basic need satisfaction, health-promoting self-care behavior, and selected demographic variables in a sample of community-dwelling adults. A convenience sample of 84 community-dwelling adults was recruited to complete the Basic Need Satisfaction Inventory, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and demographic information. Results of the study indi- cated that self-actualization, physical, and love/belonging need satisfaction accounted for 64% of the variance in health-promoting self-care behavior. The findings of this study are consistent with Maslow’s theory of human motivation and suggest that persons who are more fulfilled and content with themselves and their lives, have physical need satisfaction, and have positive con- nections with others may be able to make better decisions regarding positive health-promoting self-care behaviors.
Health-promoting self-care is a way for people to take control of their health (Haug, Wykle, & Namazi, 1989) and is a strategy for attaining national health goals (Pender, 1996). To date, however, much of the research into self-care behavior has been conducted within an illness or problem-oriented paradigm and has been designed to predict medical outcomes, such as the use of health care services, physician visits, and medical care expenses. A variety of factors, including a new emphasis on managing chronic conditions rather than curing disease, aging of the population, and increases in expenditures of health care dollars, have shifted the focus of health care delivery away from acute care toward health promotion and disease prevention (McLeroy & Crump, 1994). Research has demonstrated that lifestyle choices may decrease
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