PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that have influence on a health examination among the middle aged living in Busan. METHOD: The survey was conducted with 235 participants who were the parents of students of five nursing schools in Busan, living in Busan, and subjects to a health examination under the National Health Insurance Corporation. The data was collected from September to November 2004 using a structured self-administered questionnaire that contained general characteristics, characteristics related to a health examination, and health belief variables. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 10.0. RESULTS: Among the subjects, 122(51.9%) had performed a health examination in the past, and 113(48.1%) had not. Variables that have a significant influence on getting a health examination were: previous disease experience, perceived barrier and perceived seriousness. Those who did not have previous disease experience(2.6 times) and whose perceived seriousness was high(1.1 times) were more likely to have a health examination, and those with perceived barrier high(0.9 times) were less likely. CONCLUSION: Therefore, to increase the rate of health examinations, it is necessary to advertise the importance of health examinations particularly for the people who had disease experience and the seriousness of target diseases; and furthermore, to remove barriers of a health examination.
Busan* ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Middle Aged* ; National Health Programs ; Parents ; Schools, Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires