Factors related to health-promoting behaviors among Thai middle-aged men.

OBJECTIVE To study factors related to health promoting behaviors of Thai middle-aged men. STUDY DESIGN Descriptive research. MATERIAL AND METHOD Nine hundred and five Thai males, aged between 40-59 years, living in six provinces of Thailand, were selected by multi-stage random sampling. Data were collected using interview, physical examination, and laboratory test. RESULTS Thai middle-aged men mostly perceived their health status as fair (85.6%). Health screening showed that 7.2% had hormone deficiency, 65.7% had slight prostatic hypertrophy, and 27.3% had erectile dysfunction symptoms. Overall health promoting behaviors were at moderate level (50.7%). Marital status, having annual health examination, social support, receiving health information, and health belief were significantly related to health promoting behaviors (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Providing health information through materials, media, and family members would also increase accessibility to health services and promote effective health-promoting behavior of Thai middle-aged men.