Holistic Assessment of Patients' Awareness and Lifestyle Patterns Affecting Their Health

This preprint introduces the HEALTH questionnaire and the Healthy Lifestyle Adherence Index (HLAI), a tool to assess patients’ awareness of lifestyle factors, behavioural patterns, psychological barriers, and motivation for recovery. The questionnaire evaluates knowledge of disease-related risk and protective factors, adherence to an optimal lifestyle, and the degree of active engagement in treatment. Responses are aggregated into the HLAI — a composite index combining knowledge, behaviour, and psychological resources to indicate the patient’s informed participation in recovery. A pilot study with 30 patients with moderate metabolic disorders revealed a gap between awareness and practice, with key barriers including treatment fatigue, time constraints, and emotional stress. The HEALTH tool is intended for physicians, clinical psychologists, and researchers in behavioural medicine and psychosomatics to identify individual patient limitations and support tailored recommendations. The deposit includes the manuscript, the questionnaire, and scoring keys with calculation guidelines for the HLAI.