Path analysis for determining health factors in Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Health status of a population plays an important role in developing a country. A better health can promote economic growth and foster development of the country. The aim of this study was to investigate relationships among age, sex, weight, height, smoking behavior, and blood pressure on health status of adults in Indonesia. The path analysis was constructed using the secondary data of the fifth wave of the Indonesian Family Life Survey in 2014/2015. This survey was a large national survey with representing about 83% of the Indonesian population. The sample comprised 24,263 adults aged older than 17 years. The hypothesized model suggested that age, sex, weight, height, and smoking behavior had an effect on blood pressure and that all variables influenced health status. All path coefficients were statistically significant. The age, gender, and weight variables had positive relationships with blood pressure while in the opposite direction to the height and smoking behavior. The blood pressure, age, and smoking behavior had negative relationships with health status while in the opposite direction to the sex, weight, and height. Short male respondents who ever smoked and had high blood pressure were reported to have poor health status as age increased and weight decreased.