Health promoting lifestyles and frequency of hospitalization market women in an urban settlement in South West Nigeria

Abstract

Market women are exposed to stress in their efforts to make ends meet and this can significantly impact their health. This study assessed the health-promoting lifestyles of market women in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. A structured questionnaire was used to gather information on the health promoting lifestyles of 290 market women selected through a convenient sampling technique. More than half (50.7%) of the respondents had an overall high health-promoting lifestyle profile. However, a high percentage (58.6%) had low scores on physical activity-related component of health-promoting lifestyles. The study found a significant association between women’s health-promoting lifestyles and frequency of hospitalization (P< 0.05). Market women had low scores on physical activity-related health promotion lifestyles. There is a need for health education programmes with emphasis on physical activity for promotion of women’s health.

Keywords: lifestyle, women, health education, health promotion, physical activity.