# Health Behaviors in the Context of Optimism and Self-Efficacy—The Role of Gender Differences: A Cross-Sectional Study in Polish Health Sciences Students

## TL;DR

This study explores how optimism and self-efficacy influence health behaviors in Polish health science students, highlighting gender differences.

## Contribution

The study identifies gender-specific relationships between optimism, self-efficacy, and health behaviors in a Polish student population.

## Key findings

- Higher dispositional optimism is associated with more intense health behaviors.
- Optimism and self-efficacy significantly influence specific health behavior subscales differently by gender.
- Gender differences were observed in the frequency of positive mental attitude and preventive actions.

## Abstract

This study examines the roles of optimism and self-efficacy in influencing health behaviors among Polish health sciences students, with a focus on gender differences. A cross-sectional design was used with a sample of 318 students. The General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), and the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI) were used to assess self-efficacy, optimism, and health behaviors’ (HB) intensity, respectively. The variation in the HB was significant concerning the level of dispositional optimism (F(2, 312) = 4.22, p = 0.016, η2p = 0.03). LOT-R results turned out to be a statistically significant condition for higher frequency of positive mental attitude (PMA) behaviors and preventive actions (PAs). Gender differences were observed: higher scores of PMA and PhA were more frequent among men, whilst women were characterized with higher PA. The effect of gender and both GSES and LOT-R for the HBI results was statistically significant in two subscales (with LOT-R for PhA and with GSES for PA). These findings enhance the understanding of psychological determinants of health behaviors and suggest practical implications for educational and public health strategies. Gender turned out to be a significant determinant of some relationships between health behaviors and the examined dispositions in Polish health sciences students.