Self-efficacy, a concept rooted in Bandura's social cognitive theory, refers to an individual's belief in their ability to successfully perform a goal or task and influence outcomes. It is a broader construct of perceived control, encompassing related terms such as mastery, locus of control, and agency. Self-efficacy can vary across different contexts and behaviors within an individual. Key research findings highlight age-related changes in self-efficacy, with older adults generally showing lower levels compared to younger and middle-aged individuals. However, changes in self-efficacy vary by domain, such as productivity, safety, and financial domains. Self-efficacy is strongly associated with health behaviors, including physical activity, weight management, diet, smoking, and healthcare utilization. Higher self-efficacy is linked to greater engagement in positive health behaviors, particularly in physical activity. Additionally, self-efficacy is crucial for symptom and disease management, predicting better medication adherence and self-management of chronic diseases. Higher self-efficacy is also associated with better health outcomes, including quality of life, depressive symptoms, self-rated health, functional status, and memory. Studies show that lower self-efficacy is linked to increased risks of hospitalization, mortality, and declines in functional status. Future research should focus on understanding how self-efficacy changes over time and age, particularly at advanced ages, and explore the longitudinal associations between self-efficacy and health outcomes.Self-efficacy, a concept rooted in Bandura's social cognitive theory, refers to an individual's belief in their ability to successfully perform a goal or task and influence outcomes. It is a broader construct of perceived control, encompassing related terms such as mastery, locus of control, and agency. Self-efficacy can vary across different contexts and behaviors within an individual. Key research findings highlight age-related changes in self-efficacy, with older adults generally showing lower levels compared to younger and middle-aged individuals. However, changes in self-efficacy vary by domain, such as productivity, safety, and financial domains. Self-efficacy is strongly associated with health behaviors, including physical activity, weight management, diet, smoking, and healthcare utilization. Higher self-efficacy is linked to greater engagement in positive health behaviors, particularly in physical activity. Additionally, self-efficacy is crucial for symptom and disease management, predicting better medication adherence and self-management of chronic diseases. Higher self-efficacy is also associated with better health outcomes, including quality of life, depressive symptoms, self-rated health, functional status, and memory. Studies show that lower self-efficacy is linked to increased risks of hospitalization, mortality, and declines in functional status. Future research should focus on understanding how self-efficacy changes over time and age, particularly at advanced ages, and explore the longitudinal associations between self-efficacy and health outcomes.