Predictors of Health Promoting Lifestyle Among Midwives Employed in Hospitals and Health Centres of Qazvin, Iran

Midwives experience a high level of stress due to heavy workloads, which hasbeen shown to have adverse effects on well-being. Accordingly, the main goal of this study was toassess the predictors associated with a healthy lifestyle in a sample of midwives working in hospitalsand health centers of Qazvin, Iran.

A total of 200 midwives were recruited using convenience sampling method. Each subjectcompleted a demographic questionnaire, the Farsi version of the Health Promoting Lifestyle ProfileQuestionnaire, and Perceived Social Support Questionnaire. A multivariate linear regression modelwas used to assess the predictors of health promoting lifestyle (HPL).

Spiritual growth (2.78 ± 0.53) and nutrition (2.79 ± 0.45) had the highest scores among HPLsubscales. Conversely, subjects had the lowest score in physical activity (2.02 ± 0.64). Multivariateregression analyses showed that workplace (β = -0.19, P = 0.03), involving in professional sports(β = 0.2, P = 0.01), and perception of an adequate social support network (β = 0.47, P < 0.001) were thestrongest predictors of HPL. These predictors accounted for 27% of the variance in the model.

Considering the predictive role of three variables including workplace, involving inprofessional sport, and having adequate social support, HPL interventions can be designed andimplemented. Improving working conditions, strengthening social support networks, and increasingphysical activity might be beneficial measures to improve midwives’ HPL.