Research Information System
Rize Tıp Dergisi, vol.3, no.1, pp.37-55, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Considering the fact that current health-promoting
behaviors of adolescents will shape the health of the next
generation, most countries collect data on the subject in
order to plan necessary health programs timely. This study
aimed to determine the level of health-promoting behaviors
of the ninth and eleventh-grade high school students in the
city of Rize and the associated factors. Using a cluster
sampling method, a cross-sectional study was conducted in
2015, involving 641 students. Data were collected in the
classrooms by administring a self-responded questionnaire.
The questionnaire included the Turkish version of
Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (AHPS). AHPS has six
domains and forty items. Scores were calculated on a 0-100
scale. Getting a score over 60 was defined as good healthpromoting behavior. Mann Whitney U, and Backward
Logistic Regression tests were used for data analysis.
Of the students, 56.0% were girls, and 59.6 % were in the
ninth grade. The total AHPS mean score was 60.8± 0.6. Of
the participants, 54.9% scored over 60. The mean scores of
domains, life appreciation, social support, stress
management, health responsibility, nutrition and exercise
were 69.2±0.8, 64.7±0.8, 59.7±0.7, 59.2±0.7, 56.6± 0.7,
and 48.3±1.0, respectively. Parental education, and
employment, perceived family income, current health
1
status, gender, alcohol/cigarette use were the associated factors with health- promoting
behaviors in the univariate analysis. Having an employed father (OR:4.6) and being a nonsmoker (OR:2.2) were the independent predictors for good health-promoting behavior. High
school students in Rize showed a moderate level of health-promoting behaviors. The poorest
behaviors were in exercise and nutrition. Comprehensive school health program and supportive
environment was recommended to improve health promotive behaviors of the students.