Sense of coherence and health behavior among nurses

Introduction: The work of nurses can impose both psychological and physical burdens on the body. Nurses often work in shift systems, significantly disrupting their circadian rhythm, making it challenging to prioritize their own health and contributing to the development of a rigid sense of coherence. Objective: To determine the sense of coherence through the analysis of health behaviors and mental health status of nurses. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted with a group of 100 nurses, utilizing a diagnostic survey method through questionnaire techniques and tools such as SOC29, IZZ, GHQ28. Results: The research indicates that age does not differentiate nurses in terms of the sense of coherence (p > 0.05). Significant statistically correlations were observed between dietary habits and the sense of coherence. As the overall coherence score increases, so do the results related to health behaviors. Work experience influences the health practices of nurses, with higher experience associated with lower health practices. The education level of nurses does not affect the sense of coherence. No differences were found in terms of anxiety, functional disorders, and depression concerning work experience. Conclusions: Nurses exhibit comparable sense of coherence considering age. Higher overall coherence scores are associated with higher scores in health behaviors. Work experience differentiates nurses in terms of health practices. The education level of nurses does not differentiate them in terms of the sense of coherence. There is a correlation between health behaviors and the mental health of nurses.