Abstract:
Descriptive study was used to investigate health behavior management of
hypertension disease in the Out Patient Department (OPD) of Rajavithe Hospital,
Bangkok. The study considered information on health, personal characteristics, health
behavior management supporting factors and behavior management whitch had 4 aspects:
personal consumption, healthcare, exercise, and mind and stress managements. The
correlation factors gender, age, income, occupation, and education were also studied. The
120 patients in the sample groups had hypertension without any incurrent disease and data
were collected by questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to determine relations
among influence factors like gender, age, income, occupation, and education of the patients.
Study results reveal that most patients were female (68.30%) aged between
70-90 years old (31.70%), married (73.30%) and were an influencial family member
(62.50%). Most of them were educated to the primary school level (42.5%), had no
occupation (51.70%), or worked in government service/state enterprise (22.50%) and
received an income between 5,000 10,000 Baht per month (39.20%). The influence
factor for health management is a medical center or hospital nearby to their house
(97.50%). For consumption behavior it was found that 83.33% have consumption health
care behavior at a fair level and that age, income, occupation and education are
significantly related with a 95% confidence level (p < 0.05). In terms of healthcare it was
found that 84.16% have good healthcare and also that occupation is significantly related to
healthcare at the confidence level of 95% (p < 0.05). Exercise was at a good level
(65.84%), income and occupation were significantly related to exercise behavior at the
95% confident level (p < 0.05). Mind and stress management indicate hypertension
disease causes behavior at a fair level, while age, income, occupation and education are
not related to mind and stress management.
Medical personnel should give more knowledge and recommendations on
consumption, mind and stress management to patients and family members in order to
efficiently treat for hypertension disease in elderly patients. They should also establish
some activities for patients and family members during weekends and holidays to disperse
knowledge on how to control their behavior. There should be close follow up of those
patients that have low behavior levels by visits to their home to identify any problems. All
suggestions and recommendations for change in behavior of patients must receive
cooperation from the patients family members in order to enhance treatment efficiency.