The relationship between self-efficacy on health behavior and stress responses in chronic disease patients

The purposes of this study were to develop the scale of self efficacy on health behavior which influences on health promotion in chronic disease patients, and to examine the relationship between self-efficacy on health behavior and psychological stress responses. In study I, items relating to self-efficacy on the prevention of disease and on motivation to promote health were collected. As a result of factor analysis of self efficacy based on data from 220 normal subjects over the age of 30, it was revealed that the self-efficacy scale on health behavior in chronic disease patients has following two main factors: 'Active coping behavior with disease' and 'Controllability for health.' As results of t-tests between clinical subjects with chronic disease and healthy control, it was revealed that scores of self-efficacy scale on health behavior in the clinical group were significantly higher than ones in the normal group. As results of analyses, 24-item self-efficacy scale of health behavior in chronic disease patients was developed. In study II, the relationship between self efficacy on health behavior and stress responses was investigated. As a result of analysis, subjects with high self efficacy showed low scores in subscales in stress responses. Finally, significance of measuring self-efficacy on health behavior, and the application of the self-efficacy scale on health behavior in clinical settings were discussed.