Patterns of proactive health behaviors and associated factors among middle-aged and older women in China: a latent class analysis

To address the challenges of aging, the Chinese government has introduced the localized concept of "proactive health", which emphasizes individual responsibility for health, proactive health information seeking, and health-promoting actions. This study aims to identify latent classes of proactive health behaviors and associated factors among middle-aged and older Chinese women using latent class analysis. A serial cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 4,243 middle-aged and older women who underwent physical examinations at a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, China, between 2017 and 2023. Sociodemographic characteristics, laboratory data, medical history, and proactive health behavior data were extracted from Health Management Center. Latent class analysis was employed to classify proactive health behavioral patterns, followed by multinomial logistic regression to identify factors associated with class membership. Among middle-aged and older women, proactive health behaviors are categorized into three latent classes: Comprehensive Health Practitioners (29.44%), Selective Health Maintainers (54.75%), and High-Risk Behavior Engagers (15.81%). Multivariate logistic regression identified the following factors associated with proactive health behaviors: age, body mass index, education, occupation, family history of diabetes, family history of cardiovascular disease, menopausal status, psychological problems, and self-rated health status. The majority of middle-aged and older Chinese women are categorized as Selective Health Maintainers in terms of proactive health behaviors. In nursing practice, it is essential to develop personalized plans targeting each latent class. Future efforts should focus on enhancing proactive health education for middle-aged and older women, encouraging the adoption of various healthy behaviors to improve health outcomes and facilitate healthy aging. This study offers significant implications for nursing practice by identifying three distinct latent classes of proactive health behaviors among middle-aged and older Chinese women. It aids hospitals and communities in developing personalized intervention measures for this demographic, enhancing health conditions, and actively addressing the challenges of aging. Not applicable.