Self-management Behaviors among Patients with Hypertension in Mueang District, Chanthaburi Province

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to describe the self-management behaviors among patients with hypertension. The samples consisted of 330 patients with hypertension in Mueang District, Chanthaburi Province. The research instruments were composed of a questionnaire of demographic data, a questionnaire of social support with the reliability of .74, and a questionnaire of self-management behaviors regarding hypertension with the reliability of .77. Data were collected from April to October, 2016. Statistics used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, and Pearson’s product moment correlation.

The research results revealed that: 1) the patients with hypertension had the mean score of self-management behaviors at a good level (X = 59.96, SD = 6.72); 2) no statistically significant difference were found for self-management behaviors between males and females and between patients with and without family history of hypertension; and 3) age was negatively statistically correlated with self-management behaviors (r = -.103, p < .05); whereas, social support was positively statistically correlated with self-management behaviors (r = .150, p < .01).

This research suggested that health care providers involving hypertension care should promote self-management behaviors among patients especially elderly patients, emphasizing family and community participation.