FACTORS RELATED TO SELF-CARE BEHAVIOR OF THE ELDERLY IN NA NGUA SUB-DISTRICT, MUEANG DISTRICT, PHETCHABUN PROVINCE

Abstract

This study was quantitative research using a descriptive cross-sectional design. The objectives were (1) to study predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors, as well as health   self-care behaviors among the elderly in          Na-Ngua Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phetchabun Province, and (2) to examine the factors associated with health self-care behaviors of the elderly in Na-Ngua Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phetchabun Province. The sample comprised 142 elderly individuals. The research instrument was a questionnaire that included personal factors, predisposing variables, enabling factors, reinforcing factors, and health self-care behaviors of the elderly. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.96. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentages, means, maximums, minimums, standard deviations, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The significance level was set at 0.05.

The study found that predisposing factors (perception regarding self-care among the elderly) were at a high level (94.40%, M = 4.56, SD = 0.46); enabling factors (access to healthcare services and the environment related to elderly self-care behaviors) were also at a high level (88.70%, M = 4.49, SD = 0.57); and reinforcing factors (support from family members and access to health information) were at a high level (93.00%, M = 4.61, SD = 0.43). Predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors were significantly associated with health self-care behaviors among the elderly in the aspects of nutrition, physical activity, stress management, environmental sanitation management, and self-care during illness, with   a statistically significant level of 0.01 (r = 0.666**, r = 0.636**, and r = 0.692** sequentially).