The Effect of the Health Belief and Efficacy Expectation Promoting Program on Osteoporosis Preventive Health Behavior in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis

건강신념 및 효능기대증진 프로그램이 류마티스 관절염환자의 골다공증 예방행위에 미치는 영향

Osteoporosis has been known as a common complication of rheumatoid arthritis and a major preventable health problem. Lots of studios have demonstrated that changes in life style can help delay or prevent osteoporosis. Therefore nursing intervention related osteoporosis prevention have consisted of education programs aimed at changing dietary and exercise habit. However knowledge gained from education haven't always leaded to behavior change. Therefore it is important to consider other psychological variables in effecting behavior change. Numerous research have found self efficacy and health belief to be an important factor in individual decision making behavior. The purpose of the study was to develop health belief and efficacy expectation promoting program based on Health Belief Model & Self Efficacy Model and to investigate its effects in women with rheumatoid arthritis. For this purpose, one group pretest-post design was used. The subject of the study were 16 women with rheumatoid arthritis in Pusan city and data collection was carried out from April, 1997 to May, 1998. The intervention program was consisted of educating on osteoporosis and enhancing and reinforcing self efficacy by verbal persuasion during the period of 4 weeks. The instruments were used to collect data in this study were Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale, Osteoporosis Self Efficacy Scale, and Osteoporosis Preventive Behavior Scale. Data was analyzed by Wilcoxon signed rank test using SPSS $PC^+$ program. The results are as follows : 1) The behavior should be increased after intervention was supported(Z=-3.5162, p=.0004, diet : Z=-3.2942, p=.0010, exercise). 2) The sub-hypothesis that perceived sensitivity should be increased after intervention was supported (Z=-2.3854, p=.0171). 3) The sub-hypothesis that perceived severity should be increased after intervention was rejected(Z=-1.4327, p=.1520). 4) The sub-hypothesis that perceived benefit should be increased after intervention was supported(Z=-2.6410, p=.0083). 5) The sub-hypothesis that perceived barrier should be decreased after intervention was supported (Z=-2.4138, p=.0158). 6) The sub-hypothesis that efficacy expectation should be increased after intervention was supported(Z=-3.5162, p=.0004). As a conclusion, it was found that health belief and self efficacy promoting program was an effective nursing intervention for preventing osteoporosis of rheumatoid arthritis.