Healthy Lifestyle and Having Problems of Health of Individuals Living in A Neighbourhood of Karesi Country in Balıkesir

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the illness and healthy lifestyle behaviours last 15 days among individuals who were 18 years old or above in anurban area in the city center of Balikesir province. Method: This cross-sectional study was applied face to face to individuals who were 18 years old or aboveliving in an urban area in Balikesir city center. Population of this study consisted of individuals who were 18 years old or above living in Adnan Menderesneighbourhood. The sample of the study concluded 394 individuals considering 15% of frequency of having health problem, 5% of type 1 error, 5% ofdeviation and 2% design effect. The sample group was reached by multi stage cluster sampling. The survey comprised of the form of health service use andhealthy lifestyle behaviours scale. Number and percentage, chi-square, Independent-Samples t test, the one-way analysis of variance and logistic regressionwas used to analyse the data. Results: 65% of the sample was female; 28% was in the group of 18-27 years of age; 62% of participants had high school orhigher level of education; 56% was married. 23% of participants had health problems last 15 days. 61,5% of those who had health problems went to hospital.Disease frequency for those who were illiterate, those who had broken family, and those who had chronic illness were found statistically significant (p<0,05).The educational level of health problem was 0,2 times (0,1-0,5) lower than those of illiterates in high school students, 5,4 times (1,4-6,3) compared to thoseof the core family type in those of the extended family type, 15,3 times 2,8-8,4), 11,9 times (6,32-12,62) higher than those without chronic disease, and 0,9times (0,9-0,9) health problems compared to those with lower levels of healthy lifestyle behaviours. Point average of healthy lifestyle behaviour scale was136,7±20,2 in research group. Scale point was statistically higher for individuals who live alone, those who go to physician regularly, those who generally goto public hospital, and those who get knowledge about health issues from internet (p<0,05). Conclusion: Healthy lifestyle behaviours were found to be higherin those with moderate or state hospital visits, regular physician controls. Among the participants, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups have a highincidence of health problems and low health-style behaviour scores. For this reason, the development of healthy lifestyle behaviours of disadvantaged groupsmay reduce the frequency of living with health problems.