Author : Angela Hutchison
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 28 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (236 download)
Book Synopsis Hispanic Women's Level of Self-efficacy and It's Relationship to Their Risk for Osteoporosis by : Angela Hutchison
Download or read book Hispanic Women's Level of Self-efficacy and It's Relationship to Their Risk for Osteoporosis written by Angela Hutchison and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Albert Bandura's theory of social learning defines self-efficacy as the conviction that one can successfully execute the behavior required to produce a desired outcome. Recent studies have noted self-efficacy as an important factor in an adult's determination to change health behaviors. In fact, self-efficacy has been incorporated in the Health Belief Model (HBM) as an additional influence on the modifying factors of health behavior and one's likelihood of action towards change. One particular health outcome of concern regarding self-efficacy is osteoporosis, which is a disease characterized by an inadequate amount and or faulty structure of bone. This disease varies greatly across ethnic groups. Hispanic women as a group, have a 14% prevalence of osteoporosis in the femoral neck as opposed to 6% in African-American women. While Hispanic women's threat of this disease has been noted in a number of studies however, efforts to document health behavioral change regarding osteoporosis, is not well researched. The purpose of this study was to distinguish the relationship between levels of self-efficacy and several important risk factors for osteoporosis in a small group of middle-aged, uninsured Hispanic women. The population included in the study was a convenient sample (n=50) of women who attended a free health clinic. Upon consent, participants were asked to complete the Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy Scale (OSES), a 21 item questionnaire that assesses levels of self-conviction to change diet and exercise, which could lower their risk for osteoporosis. All OSES subscales were scored using a scale of 0-100, with 0 representing a minimal conviction and 100 representing a maximum value of self-efficacy relating to diet or exercise improvement. The participants demonstrated a mean value of 65.3 (SD 22.1) representing a strong conviction to improve exercise and a mean value of 72.8 representing a strong conviction to improve dietary calcium intake. These values indicate a confident attitude among the majority of the respondents to change their diet and exercise habits thereby lowering their risk of osteoporosis. The motivation demonstrated by these Hispanic women is an encouraging sign, as they show high levels of self-efficacy despite their economic challenges. Continued research among underserved groups of women at risk for osteoporosis will promote the development of educational interventions that will be culturally sensitive and build on their conviction for health behavior change.