Fatma Nuray KUŞCU ŞAHİN
Health Sciences Quarterly - 2026;6(3):501-516
This study examines how healthy living awareness is related to help seeking behaviors and metacognitive beliefs about health anxiety. The study was conducted with 302 adults aged between 18 and 65 years. A cross sectional descriptive design was used. Data were collected online using a sociodemographic information form, the Healthy Living Awareness Scale, the Health Seeking Behavior Scale, and the Health Anxiety Metacognition Scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t test, one way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and regression analyses. The results showed a positive relationship between healthy living awareness and health seeking behavior. A positive relationship was also found between healthy living awareness and metacognitive beliefs related to health anxiety. Regression analyses showed that health seeking behavior and health anxiety metacognition explained a substantial part of healthy living awareness. In hierarchical regression analysis, these variables remained significant after controlling for demographic and lifestyle factors and the explained variance increased. The results suggest that healthy living awareness is associated with both health-related knowledge and individual behavioral and cognitive characteristics. Individuals' approaches to seeking health-related support and their interpretations of health-related concerns appear to contribute to this awareness. Programs designed to support healthy living should address behavioral patterns, cognitive processes, and health education in an integrated manner.
