Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2003

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Communication Disorders and Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology

First Advisor

J. Laurence Passmore

Second Advisor

Richard Antes

Third Advisor

Paul Daluga

Abstract

Despite extensive theoretical information regarding Schwarzer's Health Action Process Approach the utility of the model pas yet to be explored within a chronic illness population. Using Schwarzer's Health Action Process Approach (Schwarzer, 1992), the purpose of this study was to investigate cardiovascular outcomes based on health beliefs and health value. Participants were eighty-one adults ages 42-87 with cardiovascular disease recruited from a cardiac rehabilitation program in Central Indiana. Participants completed instruments that assessed (a) health beliefs, (b) health value and, (c), quality of life. Measurements of physiological outcome (resting heart rate, distance walked, and metabolic equivalent) were also obtained. A canonical correlation was performed with health beliefs and health value as one canonical variate and the physical and mental component score of the SF-36 as the other canonical variate. Results indicated that health beliefs significantly predicted quality of life at the outset of cardiac rehabilitation but not at completion of the program. Multiple regressions were also performed using (a) health beliefs and health value, and (b) physiological outcomes as criterion variables. None of the predictor variables were significant in predicting changes in physiological outcomes. The author offers several explanations for the paucity of significant results.

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