Abstract:

Aim: This study aims to identify the relationship between self-care agency and health promotion behaviors of adolescents and factors affecting their self-care agency. Material and Methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 453 students in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades in a public Anatolian high school located in Duzce city center between February and December 2017. The data were collected using a Student Information Form, the Self-Care Agency Scale, and the Adolescent Health Promotion Scale. Results: In the study, the total self-care agency score of the adolescents was 83.85 ± 16.55, and their health promotion score average was 131.75 ± 24.19. While the adolescents got the highest score from the self-realization subscale of the health promotion scale (28.69 ± 6.43), they received the lowest score from the exercise subscale (15.26 ± 4.64). There is a moderately positive and statistically significant relationship between self-care agency and adolescent health promotion scale mean scores (p <0.01, r: 0.649). The variables that explain self-care agency were self-realization, health responsibility, perception of health, stress management, nutrition, and gender. Conclusion: The adolescents’ self-agency and health promotion mean scores were at the medium level. The adolescents obtained the highest mean score on the self-realization subscale and the lowest mean score on the exercise subscale.

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