Health status and health promoting behaviors among aging workers in Thailand

Abstract

Objective: To examine health status, health promoting behaviors and predictors of health promoting behaviors of Thai aging workers. Material and Method: The subjects of this descriptive study were 2,312 aging workers (45-60 years) working in large, medium and small-sized industry in all regions of Thailand selected by multi-stage random sampling. Data was collected by using the self-administered questionnaire. Results: About 59.3% of aging workers had perceived health status at good level, while 41.9% had underlying diseases and 15.4% had experienced work-related accidents. Health promoting behaviors were mostly at fair and good level (49.8% and 47.6%, respectively). More than half of aging workers had health promoting behaviors related to self-actualization, exercise, and stress management at good level (63.6%, 58.7% and 53.1% respectively). Health responsibility, Nutrition and interpersonal relationship at fair level (51.2, 49.6 and 51.5 respectively). Support from co-workers, attitude toward health promotion, health risk behaviors, support from media, accessibility to health promotion activities, support from family members, workplace health promotion policy, perceived health status and support from supervisors altogether could explain 25.1% of variance in health promoting behaviors of aging workers. Conclusion: To promote health promoting behaviors of aging workers, workplace should have health promotion policy in place, facilities and schedule of health promotion activities should also be arranged to encourage participation. In addition, co-workers and family members should be encouraged to motivate the involvement of aging workers in health promotion activities.