Abstract

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.

• Keywords: Health examination; Health behavior; Middle aged