Health Promoting Lifestyle of Older Adults Living in Public Nursing Homes: A Cross-Sectional Study from İstanbul, Türkiye

Background: Preventing the progression of non-communicable diseases, which are the most common health problems in old age, is possible by developing healthy habits.This study aims to assess the healthy lifestyle behaviors of older adults residing in nursing homes. Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire that contained socio-demographic information, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II), and the first part of the Nottingham health profile (NHP) was administered to 120 accessible participants (31.3% of 383 residents) in five public nursing homes in İstanbul.Results: The mean age of participants was 75.8 ± 7.8 years; 40% were women.Participants' highest per-question scores on the HPLP-II sub-dimensions were for spiritual growth and stress management (2.7 ± 0.5 and 2.6 ± 0.4, respectively), whereas the lowest were for health responsibility (HR) and physical activity (1.5 ± 0.4 and 1.6 ± 0.4, respectively).The NHP sub-dimensions in which participants scored best were pain, energy level, and emotional reaction (9.0 ± 15.5, 9.0 ± 21.4, and 10.6 ± 14.1, respectively), while the worst were sleep and social isolation (19.2 ± 27.6 and 18.8 ± 19.7, respectively).Conclusion: Habits such as HR, PA, and sleep were poorer than emotional domains.More suitable and wide-ranging interventions are required to improve lifestyle habits among nursing home residents and promote better health.