Influencing Factors on Self-care in the Elderly with Essential Hypertension

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate influencing factors on self-care in the elderly with essential hypertension. METHOD: The research instruments included the Self-Care Scale, the Knowledge Scale Related to Hypertension, the Self-Efficacy Scale and the Family-Support Scale. RESULTS: The self-care was significantly associated with knowledge (r=.510, p=.000), self-efficacy (r=.708, p=.000), and family support (r=.403, p=.000). The major factors that affected subjects' self-care were knowledge and self-efficacy, which explained 58.7% of self-care. CONCLUSION: Hypertension knowledge and self-efficacy are important factors for nursing interventions in caring for elderly patients with hypertension. It is needed to develop nursing programs for elderly patients with hypertension and to provide nursing interventions to improve knowledge and self-efficacy and, thereby, improving the self-care of elderly patients with hypertension.