Factor Predicting Health Literacy of Older People with Hypertension and Co-morbidity in Trang Province

Abstract

This predictive research investigated the level of health literacy and the predicting factors                                for health literacy of older people with hypertension and co-morbidity. Sample was 166 older                      people with hypertension and co-morbidity calculated by G* power program. And multi-stage  random sampling was applied. The research instrument was a questionnaire consisting five parts;  1) personal information, 2) family factor, 3) environment factors 4) participation in community     activities, and 5) health literacy. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by three    experts yielding a value of.92. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was employed to test the reliability    of the questionnaires yielding a value of .78. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and   multiple regression analysis (stepwise). The results of this study showed that;   

1. The majority of the sample (88.55%) had the functional health literacy. The rest (11.45 %) had the interactive health literacy. There was no sample had a critical health literacy.

2. Frequency of participation in the community activities, and income accounted for 33.2% of the variance in explaining the health literacy of the old people with hypertension and co-morbidity (R² = .332).

The findings suggest that healthcare personnel should run activities focusing more about promoting personal relationship, and critical thinking of old people in order to encourage them to take care of themselves resulting in reducing disease complication.