ความเชื่อด้านสุขภาพและพฤติกรรมการรับประทานยาของผู้ที่มีความดันโลหิตสูงในโรงพยาบาลส่งเสริมสุขภาพ ตำบลท่าข้าม อำเภอเมือง จังหวัดแพร่

Abstract

Appropriate health belief promotes compliance behavior with prescribed medication among diagnosed hypertensive person. This leads to being able to control blood pressure level. The purpose of this study is to investigate health belief and compliance to prescribed mediation among high blood pressure patients at Thakham District Health Promoting Hospital, Mueang District, Phrae Province. A total of 133 patients diagnosed with hypertension and hyperlipidemia were selected to participate in the study. This study was carried out using a pre-structured and validated questionnaire, designed and developed based on literature review. The questionnaires were constructed into three parts: 1) general information, 2) health belief questions; and 3) compliance behavior to prescribed medication. Face validity of the questionnaire instrument in Part 2 and 3 was approved by experts in the field of health education. Content Validity of the two parts was approved with the content validity index, 0.81 and 0.72, respectively. The alpha Cronbach coefficient of the reliability test for the questionnaire was 0.70. Results of this study regarding to health belief were classified into three parts. Perceived severity of the disease and perceived benefit of medication taking were at high level (=34.6, S.D = 0.3 and= 29.3, S.D = 0.6, respectively). Perceived barriers of medication-taking was moderate level (=14.7, S.D = 1.1). Moreover, compliance behavior with prescription medication was moderate (=30.7, S.D = 0.6). When considering some issues, it was found that some of the respondents had poor perceived barriers of medication-taking. Of which, 52.7% of them experienced bad feelings about their medication-taking, and 56.3% were reluctant to take their medication due to frequent urination. Regarding to inappropriate medication-taking behavior, the study found that 38.3% have never verified their name on the medication packages, 60.1% would not immediately take the medicines once they realized they have forgotten, 13.5% ever took over-counter medicine for hypertension on their own, and 43.5% would not see a physician when they experienced unusual symptoms caused by medication taking. The result of this study suggests good level of health belief among hypertensive people in Thakham community. However, they have moderate compliance behavior on prescribed medication. Those who had poor compliance may develop uncontrollable blood pressure level which leads to complicated symptoms. Therefore, such individuals would require special attention and assistance from local healthcare staffs.