Healthcare Behaviors of the Elderly Living Alone in Urban Areas Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

Health care behaviors of the elderly living alone are interested in present. To understanding this point for health team, this research was a mixed-methods study using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. This research aimed to study health care behaviors of the elderly living alone in urban areas, Ubon Ratchathani province. The elderly people living alone as samples in this study were 150 for qualitative method and 60 for quantitative method. The questionnaire and semi structured interview were also employed. For data analysis, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis were also used. The results showed two parts. The first part showed that most of the respondents were over 60-year-old females, whose incomes were supported by government less than 1,000 Baht per month and were suffered from hypertension and diabetes. The health care behaviors about the personal hygiene (= 2.80 S.D. = 0.40), exercise ( = 2.60, S.D. = 0.54), and self-care practice while sickness (= 2.80, S.D. = 0.44) were at good levels. However, nutriment  ( = 1.91, S.D. = 0.64) and relaxation (= 1.81, S.D. = 0.58) were at moderate levels. The health care behaviors for the elderly were overall at moderate levels ( = 1.28,  S.D. = 0.54). The second part showed that their health care problems were of physical weakness, movement difficulty and nutriment causing from the difficulty in chewing, sickness and lack of money. They need support from families, health care providers, and communities. The findings will be basic information to promote health care behaviors of the elderly living alone in urban areas, Ubon Ratchathani province in the future.