Health Education Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, 95-103, 1994
© 1994 Oxford University Press
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Beliefs of blue collar workers regarding coronary risk behaviours
School of Medical Education, University of New South Wales PO Box 1, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
1School of Community Medicine, University of New South Wales PO Box 1, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
Focus group discussions were employed to gain insights into the perceptions and beliefs of blue collar workers regarding coronary risk behaviours, in order to reveal factors which might increase receptivity to change for better health. A total of 116 manual workers from three categories, as defined by the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, participated in group discussions at 10 worksites in metropolitan Sydney. The discussions yielded a rich array of beliefs and perceptions regarding heart disease, risk factors, personal risks, motivations and perceived barriers to change. The most powerful influencing factors in the lives of participants were considerations of ongoing personal well-being rather than end-stage health. Well-being was distinguished by being tied primarily to social affiliation and achieving well-being was seen as a positive, ongoing process over which the individual had a degree of control. This contrasted sharply with achieving health, which was perceived as a negative process of avoidance and determined by chance rather than individual action. Recommendations include the development of initiatives in heart health promotion that enhance the association of healthy behaviours with perceived well-being, rather than the conventional approach of admonishing individuals to instigate changes that are perceived by them as diminishing well-being.
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