Abstract

This study aims to assess the health promotion behavior of eighth grade students. The population of this research includes 2791 students who were eighth grade in Primary School, Gaziantep. The research aimed to reach the entire population, yet ended with 2476 students. Mean age average of the adolescents involved in the study was 14.00±0.57, and their overall AHPS score was 139.21±25.12. Assessed by sex, female students scored meaningfully higher than the male students (p<.05). The children, whose parents are high school graduates or higher, performed better than the other parents’ children. Moreover, monthly income also predicted the students’ scores. Adolescents’ AHPS scores are not at the desired level. Findings show that school health nurses should organize training programs that also include the families and school staff. This program should be based on sociodemographic data and cover nutrition, exercise, stress management, and health responsibility.

Keywords: Adolescent; Health promoting; Behaviours; Nursing