Predicting the ealthy lifestyle behaviors of Turkish adolescents based on their health literacy and self-efficacy levels.

Abstract

PURPOSE\nThe effects of Turkish adolescents self-efficacy and health literacy on their health behaviors are examined in this study.\n\n\nDESIGN AND METHOD\nThis study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design with a sample population of 440 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18\xa0years old. The data were collected using a demographic data form and analyzed according to the Self-Efficacy Scale for Children, the Health Literacy Scale, and the Adolescent Lifestyle Profile.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe regression analysis found that the self-efficacy and health literacy levels of adolescents predicted their healthy lifestyle behaviors (F\xa0=\xa0141.813, p\xa0=\xa00.000). The self-efficacy and health literacy levels explained 41.9% of the healthy lifestyle behaviors of the subjects, with regression coefficients for self-efficacy and health literacy of 0.545 and 0.185, respectively. Self-efficacy among adolescents significantly predicted all the sub-dimensions of healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, positive life view, interpersonal relations, stress management, and spiritual health. Similarly, the health literacy levels predicted all the sub-dimensions except for physical activity and stress management.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nIn this study, the adolescents self-efficacy levels and their health literacy levels significantly explained their health behaviors. This finding suggests that increasing the self-efficacy and health literacy levels of adolescents should be increased to develop positive health behaviors among today s youth.\n\n\nPRACTICE IMPLICATIONS\nNurses should identify strategies to increase self-efficacy and health literacy among adolescents to protect and improve adolescent health behavior.