Factors affecting stroke prevention behavior among uncontrolled-hypertensive patients in Muang district, Phitsanulok province

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study the behaviors and factors influencing stroke prevention behaviors among patients having uncontrolled hypertension in Mueang district, Phitsanulok province. We recruited 416 patients by cluster sampling. Data were collected during January-March 2020. The instrument used in this research was a questionnaire consisting of 4 parts: 1) personal information, 2) awareness of having stroke, 3) social support, and 4) stroke prevention behaviors. The instrument quality was examined by 3 experts for the content validity with its IOC values were between 0.6-1. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, that is, frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and stepwise multiple linear regression with the statistically significance level at 0.05. The results were found that the level of stroke prevention behaviors among was moderate (mean=70.21, SD=6.9). The factors affecting stroke prevention behaviors were the awareness of the expectation of self-efficacy for stroke prevention (B=0.466; 95% CI=0.356, 0.576), gender (B=1.427; 95% CI=0.137, 2.718), and marital status (B=-1.305; 95% CI=-2.583, -0.027). These can explain the variance, 16.4% for influencing stroke prevention behaviors. The suggestions from the research are that the relating organizations should design some activities to change stroke prevention behaviors among the patients having uncontrolled hypertension in Mueang district, Phitsanulok province. The activities should focus on promoting awareness of self-efficacy of the patients and developing their skill for stroke prevention.