[A study on health concern, self-rated health, health status, and health promotion behavior of elderly women in urban area].

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the relationship among health concern, self-rated health, health status, and health promotion behavior of elderly women in urban areas.

METHOD: The subjects of this study consisted of 271 Korean elderly women over 65 years. The data was collected through personal interviews using questionnaires from March to May of 2003. The data was analyzed by the SPSS (ver.10.0) computer program, and it included descriptive statistics, t-test, one way ANOVA, and the pearson correlation coefficient.

RESULT: There was a significant positive correlation between self-rated health and health status. Health promotion behavior related to all health concerns, self-rated health, and health status.

CONCLUSION: This study showed that strategies of elderly care intervention to put in practice health promoting behavior is needed to improve quality of life in elderly women. In addition, health education appropriate for health maintenance and health promotion must be done for daily living to maintain well-being for the rest of their lives.