The Effects of a Social Support Program on Health Behaviors, Sodium Levels, and Blood Pressure in Elderly Patients with Uncontrolled Hypertension in Si Samrong District, Sukhothai Province.

Abstract

A quasi-experimental, two-group pre- and post-test design was used to study the effect of a social support program on health behaviors, sodium levels, and blood pressure among elderly patients with uncontrolled hypertension, Si Samrong District, Sukhothai Province. The research sample consisted of 84 elderly patients with uncontrolled hypertension, divided into two groups. The research was conducted in two groups: experimental group and a control group, each with 42 participants, for a period of 12 weeks. The experimental group participated in a social support program and had their health behaviors, sodium levels, and blood pressure monitored at home twice. The control group received standard healthcare services. The research tools included data collection instruments and a social support program for elderly patients with hypertension, Si Samrong District, Sukhothai Province. The content validity of the health behavior questionnaire for patients with hypertension was found to be 0.93, and the reliability of the health behavior questionnaire was 0.91. The research findings showed that:

The experimental group with the social support program had significantly different mean health behavior scores before and after the intervention (p <0.001), with scores of 123.88 and 164.95, respectively. The mean health behavior scores between the experimental and control groups after 12 weeks were also significantly different (p <0.001), with scores of 164.95 and 124.43. The experimental group had significantly different mean sodium levels in food before and after 12 weeks of treatment: 1.27 and 0.44, (p<0.001). The mean sodium levels between the experimental and control groups after 12 weeks were 0.44 and 1.18, (p<0.001).                        The experimental group had significantly different mean systolic blood pressure levels before and after 12 weeks of the experiment: 147.21 and 119.76, respectively (p<0.001). The mean systolic blood pressure levels between the experimental and control groups after 12 weeks were 119.76 and 146.66, (p< 0.001). The experimental group had a statistically significant difference (p<0.001) in mean diastolic blood pressure levels before and after 12 weeks of the experiment: 94.23 and 75.95. The mean diastolic blood pressure levels between the experimental and control groups after 12 weeks were 75.95 and 94.28, respectively, which were significantly different (p < 0.001)