THE EFFECT OF SELF-CARE INFORMATION ON HEALTH-RELATED ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS.

Health-case costs in the United States have been rising at an alarming pace. Therefore, a great deal of emphasis has been placed on finding more cost-effective methods of providing care and maintaining health. An area that warrants investigation is the potential for reducing inappropriate utilization of medical-care resources for relatively minor self-limiting problems. One method of accomplishing this is to provide the proper encouragement, skills, and resources to enable individuals to appropriately involve themselves in self-care activities. A study was conducted to determine if an intervention involving self-care information would change participants' beliefs and attitudes concerning responsibility and involvement in their own health care. Students entering the Student Health Service at the University of Arizona during the study period were randomly assigned to the treatment group or control group. Members of the treatment group received the intervention and were asked to complete a survey instrument. Members of the control group were asked to complete the survey instrument only. The survey instrument consisted of a measurement of attitudes toward information and behavioral involvement in health care (i.e., Krantz Health Opinion Survey) and a measure of beliefs regarding one's ability to exert control over their health (i.e., Multidimensional Health Locus of Control). Also on the instrument was a measure of the individual's behavioral intentions regarding projected use of medical-care practitioners. Results of the study indicated that the intervention was able to change the treatment group's attitudes regarding a greater preference for more active involvement in their health care. Also subsequent to the intervention, the treatment group's responses reflected less of a belief that health was outside of their control. No difference was found between the treatment and control group in regard to behavioral intentions. These results demonstrate that a positive change in health-related beliefs and attitudes can come about as a result of a relatively uncomplicated and inexpensive intervention