health promoting behaviors and general health among the elderly in qazvin: a cross sectional study

Introduction: health promoting behaviors (hpbs) are one of the main criteria to determine health. hpbs have a complex nature and are influenced by several factors. the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between hpbs and general health in the elderly in qazvin. methods: in this cross-sectional study, 372 older people were enrolled using convenience sampling. data were collected using demographic information questionnaire, hpbs checklist, and goldberg and hillier's 12-items of the general health questionnaire. data were analyzed by independent t-test and chi-square test. results: the results showed that 21% of the elderly were not in a desirable general health status. walking (61%) and using low-fat foods (73.9%) were among the most uncommon hpbs while lack of alcohol consumption (97%) and blood pressure control (95.4%) were among the most common hpbs. the elderly who walked reported a significantly higher general health (p < 0.001), while the elderly who reported using low-salt (p = 0.008) and low-fat (p = 0.008) diet had a significantly lower general health. conclusion: while the rate of doing certain hpbs, such as walking, was not good, almost 80% of the subjects were in a satisfactory general health status. efforts to expand and improve hpbs, especially walking, in the elderly can affect their general health status.