Factors Influencing Health Behaviors of Elders in Mueang District, Roi Et Province, Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study health behaviors of the elderly in Mueang District, Roi Et province, concerning exercise, diet, self-care during illnesses and stress management; to describe each personal attribution factor, such as, gender, age, educational background, marital status, income, income sufficiency, main source of income and personal illness; and to determine factors influencing the mentioned health behaviors. It was a cross-sectional study with a systematic sampling of 430 samples. Data collection was in December 2009. A face to face interview was used and descriptive statistics was employed (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) while Chi-Square test was used to find out the factors associated with their health behaviors. The results found that majority of the samples was female (58.6%), aged between 60-65 years old (40.5%), finished primary school (79.8%), married (63.7%) , with monthly household income less than 5,000 baht (47.9%), had sufficient income but not enough for saving (41.9%), earned their own incomes (96.3%), had personal illnesses (57.2%) such as diabetes (46.1 %), with consistent follow-up of their chronic disease (99.3%). In regards to their health behaviors, the result revealed that diet behavior was on good level (x=2.68, S.D.=0.25);exercise behavior was on fair level (X=2.13, S.D.=0.60); self care behavior was on good level (x=2.69, S.D.=0.39) and stress management behavior was on good level (X=2.37, S.D.=0.41). Factors positively associated with health behaviors of elderly were as follows: age and personal illnesses with diet behavior at the statistical significance level of 0.05 dp=0.048, 0.008 respectively); gender, educational background and income sufficiency with exercise behavior at the statistical significance level of 0.05 (p=0.002, 0.0 16, <0.00 1 respectively); marital status with self care behavior at the statistical significance level of 0.05 (p=0.032); gender, educational background and income sufficiency with stress management behavior at the statistical significance levelof 0.05 (p=0.045,0.024,0.001 respectively).This study made aware of behavioral health and factors influencing health behaviors of elderly, to guide the operation of the elderly health promotion in Mueang District, Roi Et Province, such as screening at least once a year. The objective is to reduce sickness and risky activities; provide accurate information and conduct continuous health promotion behavior among elders and their families. The information should include positive diet, exercise, self care during illness and stress management behavior and improve questions regarding exercise in the questionnaire for interviewing elders to be more suitable for them.