DETERMINATION OF HEALTH PERCEPTION LEVELS AND EFFECTING FACTORS AMONG THE HEALTHCARE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Aim: This research aims to determine the health perception levels and the influencing factors among the healthcare vocational school students. Material Method: The descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 510 students who were enrolled at the a healthcare vocational school and agreed to participate, from February to March 2018. The data were collected by using a questionnaire form for socio-demographic characteristics and the Health Perception Scale (HPS). Data analysis was carried out in the computer environment using parametric and non-parametric tests. Findings: Among the students who had the mean age of 20,09±1,89, 76,7% were female, 65,1% were Anatolian high school graduate, 93,5% were unemployed, 78,6% had middle income, 36,9% were grown up in a city and 71,2% had nuclear family. It was determined that the education levels of the students' mother (56.5%) and father (42.2%) were primary education. The majority of students (60.6%) defined their health status well and 88.2% did not have a chronic or long-term illness. The mean total HPS score of the students was 51,42±6,87 (min-max; 22-72), while their sub-dimension scores were 16,35±3,72 (control center), 11,29±1,96 (self awareness), 12,66±3,18 (precision), and 11,11±2,24 (importance of health). The variables on graduated high school, employment status, family structure, mother and father education levels and having a disease requiring chronic or long-term treatment did not affect the total and sub-dimension scores of HPS (p>0.05). There was a significant relationship in terms of the total and sub-dimension HPS scores in the variables of “age, gender, income status, where he/she spent his/her childhood and define health status” (p<0.05) Conclusion: It was found in the study that the levels of health perception of n healthcare vocational school students were moderate, and these levels were affected by the variables of age, gender, income status, where he/she spent his/her childhood and define health status.