Older women: social cognitive theory correlates of health behavior

Most research about health promoting behaviors has focused on pre-old adults and men, despite clear evidence that the leading cause of death among postmenopausal women is related to health behaviors. This study applied social cognitive theory constructs to exercise, dietary, and stress management health behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of self-efficacy expectation and outcome expectancy to predict health behavior among older women. Community-dwelling women aged 65 to 92 years were interviewed with previously developed instruments and instruments designed specifically for this study (N = 225). Self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of each of the health behaviors (beta weights: dietary behavior .50; exercise, .39; stress management, .32). Outcome expectancy was not a significant predictor of exercise or dietary behavior. Outcome expectancy was a significant predictor of stress management behavior. The findings of this study, combined with the importance of health promotion behaviors among older women, justify the need for continued research about self-efficacy and health behavior among this vulnerable population.