Factors Associated with Health-Promoting Behaviors for Hypertension Prevention among At-Risk Male Inmates in a Correctional Institution

Abstract

This study examined factors associated with health-promotion behaviors for the prevention of hypertension among at-risk group male inmates in a Correctional Institution. The sample consisted of 110       at-risk group male inmates aged 18 years and older who were classified as being at-risk group male inmates systolic blood pressure levels between 130–139 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure levels between             80–89 mmHg and resided in the institution. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire composed of three parts: general information, factors related to health-promoting behaviors, and health-promoting behaviors among high-risk male prisoners. The questionnaire was validated for content validity by five experts, yielding a Content Validity Index (CVI) ranging from 0.88 – 1.00. Reliability analysis using Cronbach’s method demonstrated Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.70 - 0.88.          Data were collected from July to September 2025 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and Spearman’s correlation. The results revealed that factors significantly associated with health-promoting behaviors for hypertension prevention among high-risk male prisoners included self-efficacy (r = 0.378, p < 0.001), interpersonal influence (r = 0.384, p < 0.001), and situational influence (r = 0.461, p < 0.001). Perceived benefits and perceived barriers to engaging in health-promoting behaviors for hypertension prevention were not significantly associated with health-promoting behaviors (r = 0.005, p = 0.959; r = 0.186, p = 0.052).