Relationship between demographic factors and health self-efficacy in academic staff of Guilan University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background: Health behavior is considered as one of the major determinants of health and self-efficacy is an influencing factor in behavior. Self-efficacy is a person`s belief over one’s abilities for doing a certain behavior. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the self-efficacy of academic staff at Guilan University of Medical Science and its relation with demographic factors. Methods: A total of 203 faculty members at Guilan University of Medical Science participated in this descriptive study in 2008. Data were collected by a two-part questionnaire completed by the study population, and analyzed using independent t-test and one way ANOVA. Findings: The faculty members obtained an overall self-efficacy score of 84/1%. There was a significant relationship between the self-efficacy and both the number of children in family (P=0.05) and the monthly income (P=0.025). Conclusion: The self-efficacy rate of faculty members was desirable. Regarding the modeling role of academic staff for students, self-efficacy must be considered as an influential factor in health-promoting programs.