Health-Promoting Behaviors and Quality of Life of Filipino Older Persons

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and quality of life (Qol) of older persons in Iloilo City. Conducted from January to February 2014, this research utilized 223 randomly-selected older persons as participants who were classified according to age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, work status, monthly family income, type of family structure, and health status. The data were obtained using two published and validated instruments: the Health- Promoting Lifestyle Profile Instrument II (1995) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (2004). Reliability testing was done among 20 randomly-selected older persons. The descriptive statistics employed were the frequency count, rank, percentage, mean, and standard deviation; while the inferential statistics utilized were the t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson product- moment correlation coefficient (r ), all set at .05 alpha level of significance. The overall health-promoting behaviors was low and the quality of life was neither poor nor good. Significant differences were noted in the older persons’ health-promoting behaviors when classified according to age, monthly family income and health status. On the other hand, significant differences were noted in QoL when the older persons were grouped according to age and monthly family income. There was a significant relationship between the six sub-scales of health-promoting behaviors and the four domains of the QoL. The results showed that health- promoting behaviors are positively associated with better quality of life scores in the older persons living in Iloilo City.

Keywords: health-promoting behaviors, quality of life, older persons