Ecological factors related self-management of hypertensive cases, Lansak district, Uthaithani Province, Thailand

Abstract

Background: Highest number of chronic disease at Lansak district is hypertension. Trend of poor controlled blood pressure level was not decrease in 3 year. Implementations for controlling blood pressure and reducing complications are needed. However we should know health determinants before design effective interventions. This study was initiated to study ecological factors related self-management of hypertensive cases.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1st May 2014 – 31st March 2015 through interviews cases, families, and leaders in 2 villages, Lansak district, Uthaithani province and observes households and communities. we analyzed data by descriptive statistic.
Results: We interviewed 56 cases, 56 families and 7 leaders. Mean of age is 63.5 (35-89) yr. Male is 35.7% and female is 64.3%. One third of cases think that they can stop anti-hypertensive drugs by themselves. Most of families are nuclear family in village A and extended family in village B. Population in village B has many cultural ceremonies and joins together. Hypertension cases in village A have much more knowledge than one in village B. However, both of them have middle self-management.
Conclusions: Behavior changing implementation are more than a level affect to self-management. Implementation should be considered many levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, organization and population) and applied follow by community status.