Health Behaviors, Motivations and Barriers to Change in Older Adults

Health behaviors refer to any behavior performed by an individual that leads him or her to maintain health, prevent illness or injury, seek care for an illness, or adhere to a treatment regimen. While these behaviors are performed by adults of all ages, these behaviors are of special concern in older adults. Chronic illnesses, illnesses that do not resolve quickly, such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are more prevalent in older than in younger adults, and health behaviors play a large role in preventing and caring for these illnesses. This entry details some of the most important health behaviors performed by older adults, as well as individual, social, and environmental motivations and barriers to changing these behaviors.