Health behavior among Polish institutionalized older adults: the effect of resiliency mediated by satisfaction with life

• Published in: Journal of public health Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 725 - 733
• Main Authors: Zadworna, Magdalena, Kossakowska, Karolina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adults; Epidemiology; Health behavior; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Institutionalization; Long-term care; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nursing homes; Older people; Original Article; Public Health; Resilience; Poland; Satisfaction with life; Resiliency; Long-term care institution; Nursing home; Older people; Health behavior
• ISSN: 2198-1833; 1613-2238
• DOI: 10.1007/s10389-020-01301-3

Aim Resiliency and satisfaction with life are identified as factors related to health behavior in the general population. However, little is known about health behavior and its predictors in public nursing home residents. The purpose of the study was to establish the nature of the relationship between resiliency, satisfaction with life, and health behavior in institutionalized older adults in Poland. Subject and methods A cross-sectional study with purposive sampling was performed in public nursing homes in Poland. A total of 161 male and female senior residents aged 60 to 99 (Mean = 76.65, SD = 9.23) were examined. Mediation analysis was performed with the Hayes’ PROCESS macro. Results This study revealed that resiliency, satisfaction with life, and health behavior are positively associated with each other in older persons. Satisfaction with life plays a mediating role in the relationship between resiliency and health behavior in residents of long-term care institutions. Conclusion Our findings underscore the important role played by personal resources in strengthening interventions and supporting the efforts of nursing home residents to engage in health behavior.