Health Knowledge and Health Promoting Lifestyle Among Women of Childbearing age in Shiraz

Abstract

Background: Health promotion is receiving an ever increasing attention regarding its prominent role in health of population. Health promoting lifestyle could be due, in some part, to enhancing knowledge about healthy behaviors. Objectives: Due to the importance of healthy lifestyle in current situation of chronic diseases in Iranian society, the aim of this study was to determine the correlates of health promoting life style with a special emphasis on the role of health knowledge among women of reproductive age. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 392 women of child bearing age (15 -49 years) in 2013 in the city of Shiraz, southern Iran. The participants were selected through random cluster sampling. The scale for health promotion lifestyle was Walker's Health Promoting lifestyle Profile (HPLP), which encompasses six healthy lifestyle dimensions including health selfresponsibility, nutrition, physical activity, stress management, interpersonal relationships and spiritual growth.