Knowledge, Health Literacy and Health Care Behavior in Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among the Elderly at Ban Mai Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District

Abstract

     This research was a one-group quasi-experimental study, measuring the results before and after two phases of activities in  a workshop training. The research objectives were:  (1) to study  knowledge, health literacy, and health care behaviors in reducing  cardiovascular disease risk factors before and after the 1st  and 2nd  phase of activities in  the training; and (2) to compare knowledge, health literacy, and health care behaviors in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors before and after the 1st  and 2nd phase of activities in  the training. The studied samples were 44 elders of Ban Mai Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, obtained from a purposive  sampling  during  October 2019 and April 2020. The tools used were questionnaires and  the workshop training on health care literacy enhancement activities. The statistics used were percentage, mean, standard deviation, and  paired sample t-test.

     The findings of this research revealed that: (1) most of the prior training knowledge was at the  moderate level while  after the 1st phase and the 2nd  phase of activities in  the training  were at the high level.  All health literacy before,  after the 1st ,and 2nd phases of activities in  the training  were at the high level. Health care behaviors before and after the 1st phase of activities in  the training  were at the moderate, while  after the 2nd phase  of activities in  the training  was mostly good; and (2) when comparing knowledge,  health literacy, and health care behaviors,  it was found that total knowledge after the 1st and 2nd phase of activities in  the training  was higher  than before the training. Moreover, health care behaviors after the 1st phase of activities in  the training  was significantly different from that after the 2nd phase of activities in  the training. Provision of knowledge are then essential and important towards health behaviors in reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease.