Health Perception and Wellness Behavior Survey among Military Beneficiaries - Abstract
Health promotion and wellness are of primary importance to improving medical outcomes, yet there is a paucity of research exploring perceptions of health which may impact a patient’s acceptance of health improvement initiatives. The purpose of this study was to explore health perceptions, using constructs in the Health Perception Questionnaire (HPQ), and assess for any disparity between perception and self-reported health risk, behaviors and medical utilization rates. Anonymous surveys were distributed at primary care clinics in a military treatment facility with a return rate of 62% (N = 609).
Overall, general health perceptions were above the expected median point of all subscales, implying relatively good health perceptions. However, 70% of the respondents reported BMI rates for obesity and utilization rates for Primary, Specialty, and Emergency services were 2.1, 1.4, and .39 visits, respectively, in the preceding six months with a reported daily average of 3.8 prescription medications. Subscales were significantly different between the highest utilization (3+ visits) and those with the lowest utilization (< 1 visit). Differences were also reported between the youngest and oldest groups with lower “Perceived Resistance to Illness” and a higher “Health Worry/concern” in the youngest participants.
Based on the findings, there appears to be a disparity between health perception and health risk, including utilization rates. Reports of higher worry and concern among the young may also suggest a higher dependency on medical services now and in the future.