Evaluation of Health Promoting Behaviors and Its Relationship with Mental Health in Elderly Military Veterans in Iran

Background: One of the effective factors in the healthy living of the elderly is health-promoting behaviors. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and mental health in elderly military veterans in Iran. Methods: Using available sampling method, this descriptive-analytical study was performed on 280 elderly military veterans over 60 years old referred to a military health center in Urmia, Iran. We used a questionnaire comprising three sections as follows: (1) elderly demographic information; (2) health promoting behaviors; and (3) mental health assessment. The collected data were entered into SPSS software v.20 and analyzed by chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The results showed that among the health-promoting behaviors, non-consumption of alcohol, controlling blood pressure, and not smoking had the highest frequency, and the injection of influenza vaccine had the lowest frequency. The relationship between health-promoting behaviors and the level of mental health showed that smoking, stress, alcohol consumption, and not exercising had a significant relationship with anxiety and stress (P < 0.05). Also, the individuals who consumed more fruits and vegetables had less stress than those who consume lower amounts of these foods (P < 0.05). Also, people who consumed low-salt, low-fat, and dairy-based foods, controlled their blood pressure regularly and had received the flu vaccine had a better mental health. Conclusions: According to the results, a special attention should be paid to these factors in planning to teach health-promoting behaviors to improve health and counseling services in the elderly.

The Importance of Emotional Regulation in Mental Health

Mental health is a critical component of overall well-being and exists on a continuum much like physical health. Although many ways to assess mental health exist outside of either having a disorder or not, practitioners often rely on the presence or absence of symptomatology. The assessment and promotion of emotional regulation in patients is one way to encourage individuals to engage in mental health-promoting behaviors. Specific techniques are discussed that address emotional regulation. Overall, providing patients with the tools to regulate emotional responding will likely have a direct impact on well-being as well as reduce MH symptomology.

Factors affecting the health-promoting behavior of thyroid cancer survivors: comparison by stage of cancer survivorship

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify differences in factors affecting health-promoting behaviors according to the survival stage of thyroid cancer survivors. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study analyzed data from 354 thyroid cancer survivors after diagnosis. The survivors were divided into three stages: (1) the acute stage (< 2 years after diagnosis), (2) extended stage (2–5 years after diagnosis), and (3) permanent stage (≥ 5 years after diagnosis). To measure health-promoting behavior, the revised Korean version of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile questionnaires was used. The factors affecting the health-promoting behavior included social support, self-efficacy, fear of recurrence, and symptoms. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze factors affecting the health-promoting behavior according to survival stage. Result The factors affecting the health-promoting behavior of thyroid cancer survivors differed by survival stage. In the acute stage, the factors of health-promoting behavior were self-efficacy (t = 4.76, p < .001) and social support (t = 3.54, p < .001). In the extended stage, symptoms (t = − 3.65, p < .001), social support (t = 2.61, p = .011), fear of recurrence (t = 2.18, p = .032), and receipt of radioiodine treatment (t = − 2.18, p = .032) were found to be significant variables that affected health-promoting behaviors. In the permanent stage, social support (t = 2.79, p = .007), receipt of radioiodine treatment (t = − 3.21, p = .002), and age (t = − 2.77, p = .007) were significant variables that affected health-promoting behaviors. Conclusion The experience of thyroid cancer survivors varies as they progress through the survival stages; thus, health-promotion interventions should be tailored to each survival stage.

Evaluation of Health-Promoting Behaviors in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Preschool Children of Polish Health Care Professionals

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the health-promoting behavior of the preschool children (aged 3–6 y) of Polish health care professionals (HCPs). Methods: The study was conducted by means of quantitative research on a group of 386 individuals, using an Internet-based survey. Results: The ideal cardiovascular health model was determined in the case of 22 children (5.6%). The collected data revealed that, when regarding the recommended level of physical activity, children from HCP families meet the American Heart Association criteria much more often than their peers from other study populations (56.5% vs. 16.6%). In our study, more girls than boys participated in organized activities (60.2% vs. 50.3%, p = 0.05). There was no correlation between achieving adequate levels of physical activity and the BMI (p > 0.1). Overweight children had a more balanced diet than children with a normal body weight (p = 0.009). Conclusions: The obtained results allowed us to make the conclusion that there is a need to implement educational and preventive measures on a large scale, while some health-promoting behaviors, especially those concerning proper nutrition, require major modifications, even in HCP families.