Status and influencing factors of active health behaviors in high-risk stroke populations: a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study aims to investigate active health behaviors among stroke high-risk populations in Panzhihua, Sichuan Province, and to identify the key sociodemographic, behavioral, and environmental factors associated with these behaviors. By characterizing the current status and patterns of active health behavior adoption in this population, the study seeks to inform the development of evidence-based, targeted primary prevention strategies for stroke. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design. Between July and October 2025, a total of 616 stroke high-risk individuals were recruited from community health centers in Panzhihua. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire comprising the following instruments: a general information questionnaire, the Chronic Disease Active Health Behavior Scale, the Health Motivation Behavior Scale, the Health Literacy Questionnaire, the Medical Social Support Scale, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Results: Among the 616 participants recruited, all 616 (100%) completed the questionnaire, with 319 males (51.8%) and 297 females (48.2%). For the population at high risk of stroke, the overall mean score of proactive health behaviors was 55.90 ± 7.85, and the mean item score was 2.79 ± 0.39. According to the reference scoring criteria of the scale, a total score ≥ 80 indicates good proactive health behaviors, while a total score < 60 indicates poor proactive health behaviors. The proactive health behavior level of this population was lower than the medium level. Univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in the scores of proactive health behaviors among participants with different ages, smoking statuses, alcohol consumption levels, residential locations, sources of livelihood, numbers of chronic comorbidities, frequencies of physical examinations, and whether they received training or obtained self-learning knowledge related to stroke ( Conclusions: The level of active health behaviors among stroke high-risk populations in the Panzhihua area needs to be improved. As a cross-sectional study, the present study collected data at a single time point and identified the significant correlations between active health behaviors and multiple influencing factors, including health literacy, medical social support, and self-efficacy. However, the samples of this study were recruited only from the Panzhihua area, which may be a problem of limited representativeness and makes it difficult to observe the dynamic changes of individual behaviors over time. Therefore, the conclusions drawn in this study are only applicable to similar regions, and their generalizability may be limited. Future research should carry out multi-center, longitudinal, interventional, and mixed-methods studies, with a focus on translating health literacy into practice, strengthening social support systems, enhancing self-efficacy, and implementing personalized primary prevention management for populations with different characteristics.