[Health locus of control and acquisition of health-related information]

Abstract

Relationships between acquisition of health-related information and Health Locus of Control (HLC) were investigated in 204 women aged 29-45 years, using Horige's Japanese version of Health Locus of Control (JHLC) Scales. The acquisition behavior of health-related information was obtained from the question "How often do you get health-related information by newspaper, television or magazine?" The results were as follows: 1) Women who perceived the information related directly to their personal health, acquired health-related information more often than those who did not perceive personal application of the information. 2) The technical school or junior college graduate group had the most health-related information acquisition scores. 3) The university graduate group had fewer Chance HLC beliefs and Supernatural HLC beliefs. 4) Family HLC mean scores were significantly higher in the "high family value" group than in the "high health value" group. 5) Internal HLC mean scores were significantly higher in those self-rated as "very healthy" than in those self-rated as "healthy" group. 6) Women acquiring health-related information the most had Internal HLC mean scores significantly higher than the others. Health-related information acquisition scores correlated significantly with Internal HLC mean scores and Family HLC mean scores.