Factors Related to Self – Protection Behaviors from Stroke of Uncontrolled Hypertension Patients in Nong Saeng District, Saraburi Province

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to study how to protect oneself from stroke and factors associated with self-protection behaviors of uncontrolled hypertension patients in  Nong Saeng District, Saraburi Province. Questionnaires were employed to collect data from 180 samples. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient.

The results showed that 25% of the samples had a high level of self-protection behaviors from stroke while 75% had a medium-to-low level. A factor of personal beliefs was of high level in each aspect; i.e., risk perception, severity perception, benefit perception, obstacle perception, awareness and perception of their ability to prevent stroke, which were 70.56, 55.56, 67.78, 41.67 and 79.44 percent, respectively. It was also found that a factor of personal beliefs had a very low level of positive relationship (r = 0.22, p = 0.003) with behavioral self-defense at a statistically significant level of 0.05. No correlation was found with the factor of motivation.

The results suggest that there should be some exchange of experiences of the patients’ behaviors in their everyday practice to other patients of uncontrolled high blood pressure so that they will be aware of the risks that could cause stroke and adjust their everyday behaviors to be even better.