Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have examined selected factors influencing health-promoting behaviors or quality of life, the complex interplay of these variables in persons with chronic disabling conditions has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To test an explanatory model of variables influencing health promotion and quality of life (Stuifbergen GFI = 0.96; IFI = 0.98; CFI = 0.98. The antecedent variables accounted for 58% of the variance in the frequency of health-promoting behaviors and 66% of the variance in perceived quality of life. The effects of severity of illness on quality of life were mediated partially by health-promoting behaviors, resources, barriers, self-efficacy and acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: The final model supports the hypothesis that quality of life is the outcome of a complex interplay among contextual factors (severity of illness), antecedent variables (Stuifbergen & Rogers, 1997), and health-promoting behaviors. The strength of direct and indirect paths suggests that interventions to enhance social support, decrease barriers, and increase specific self-efficacy for health behaviors would result in improved health-promoting behaviors and quality of life. Further research using a longitudinal design is needed to clarify the effects of the interaction between health-promoting behaviors and trajectory of illness on quality of life for persons with chronic disabling conditions.
Stuifbergen et al. (Mon,) studied this question.