Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Clarence Schumaker

Abstract

The research problem identified was poor physical health in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The problem is important because poor physical health yields unsuccessful aging. The current research aimed to identify psychosocial factors that improve self-evaluated physical health in the study population as a proxy to overall health; the research questions helped identify these factors. The first research question assessed the association between health locus of control and self-evaluated physical health. The second research question evaluated the association between family support and self-evaluated physical health. A final research question assessed the association between health locus of control, family support, and self-evaluated physical health. All three research questions were assessed while controlling for race and gender. The theory used was the socioeconomic model, with health locus of control at the intrapersonal level and family support at the interpersonal level. A quantitative study with secondary data analysis was used with the 177 eligible subjects; the inclusion criteria included older adults with COPD, English speakers, and those who completed all stages of the instrument used in collecting the primary data. Using SPSS version 25, an ordinal logistic regression was the statistical model used in determining the outcomes of the variables. The results showed that health locus of control is a predictor of self-evaluated physical health, while family support is not a predictor of self-evaluated physical health, when controlling for race and gender. The positive social change implication of identifying this relationship is in returning older adults with COPD to successful aging, hoping that they continue to be productive members of our society.

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