ABSTRACT
Hypertensive older adults will benefit if there is a clear understanding of the factors related to sodium reduction. That would raise awareness of the causes, consequently reducing many health risks, lowering health care costs, and diminishing economic and social burden from high blood pressure. This study explored predictors of urinary sodium excretion. A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted in 312 hypertensive older Thai adults. Questionnaires related to knowledge, self-care agency, self-care behavior of sodium reduction, and 24-hour urinary sodium analyses were used, followed by the application of structural equation modeling and the Analysis of Moment Structures program. Self-care agency, knowledge, self-care behavior, rural/urban location, and education accounted for 61% of urinary sodium excretion. Self-care agency, knowledge, and self-care behavior were the main predictors in the urinary sodium excretion model. This study suggests establishing supportive educative sodium reduction-related programs that improve knowledge and enhance self-care agency, as well as a comparison of the changes of sodium reduction self-care behavior and urinary sodium excretion over time after the intervention.
Subject(s)
Asian People , Diet, Sodium-Restricted , Hypertension/diet therapy , Sodium, Dietary/administration & dosage , Sodium, Dietary/urine , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Blood Pressure , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Rural Population , Surveys and Questionnaires , Thailand , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the modified Thai Spiritual Well-Being Scale in patients with advanced cancer. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was employed to investigate psychometric properties. Some 196 participants from three tertiary hospitals in Bangkok and suburban Thailand were asked to complete a Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ), The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS), and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS). Validity was determined by known-group, concurrent, and constructs validity. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency by Cronbach's α coefficients. RESULTS: Three factors were extracted: so-called existential well-being, religious well-being, and peacefulness accounted for 71.44% of total variance. The Cronbach's α coefficients for total SWB, EWB, RWB, and peacefulness were 0.96, 0.94, and 0.93, respectively. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: These findings indicate that the Thai SWBS is a valid and reliable instrument, and it presented one more factor than the original version.
Subject(s)
Neoplasms/psychology , Psychometrics/instrumentation , Psychometrics/standards , Reproducibility of Results , Spirituality , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , ThailandABSTRACT
Thailand supports a system of universal health care coverage and promotes a system of primary care. Effective and efficient primary health care can improve health through increasing access and thereby reducing inequities. Nurses are key providers of primary care services, particularly in remote areas and play an important role in improving the health and well-being of the Thai community.
Subject(s)
Nurse Practitioners , Nurse's Role , Primary Health Care , National Health Programs , Thailand , WorkforceABSTRACT
The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of primary care provided at nurses' private clinics in Thailand. The sample consisted of 63 nurses' private clinics and 3518 clients. These clinics were selected by multi-stage random sampling. An observation sheet and three questionnaires were used to collect the data. The data indicated that Nurses' private clinics can provide services for about 90% of the clients' problem at the primary care level at about a 50% lower cost than physicians' services. Thus, nurses' private clinics' services should be included in the reimbursement criteria of the national health care system. For nurses who run their own clinics, the Thailand Nursing Council should require additional training and certification in primary medical care. Nurses' private clinics should extend to home care service for people in the nearby area.
