Learning Objective #1: Describe the relationships among life-style, health behaviors, and health-related quality of life for underserved adults

Learning Objective #2: Identify factors that affect health-related quality of life for underserved adults

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Adults who are underserved and uninsured often exhibit life-styles that lack wellness behaviors necessary to achieve an optimal quality of life. According to Healthy People 2010, there are more than 40 million Americans who lack health insurance and access to health care resources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships among life-style, health behaviors, and health related quality of life over three months for underserved and uninsured adults seen at a nurse managed center. Bruhn's (1988) framework of life-style and health behavior was used to guide this study. According to Bruhn, multiple factors influence the development of life-style and health behaviors that ultimately impact health related quality of life. The convenience sample included 200 adults who were 18 to 66 years of age (M = 38.33, S.D. = 12.77). Data were collected prior to a health care visit and via a phone call at three months. Instruments included: (a) an investigator developed questionnaire to measure current life-style and health behaviors and (b) the SF-12 Health Survey to measure physical, mental, and general health related quality of life. Physical, mental, and general health related quality of life significantly decreased (p < .000) as the number of reported symptoms and medical conditions increased. Life-style behaviors including exercise, sleep pattern, smoking, and alcohol consumption were not significantly related to general health related quality of life. Mental health related quality of life increased significantly at three months (t = -3.310, p = .002). However, general (t = -0.663, p = .510) and physical (t = -1.322, p = .192) health related quality of life did not increase significantly at three months. These findings demonstrated that disease related factors rather than life-style behaviors were significantly related to quality of life. Future research should measure these relationships over a greater period of time.