Effects of the self-management training program on self-management behavior and blood pressure levels among elderly people with hypertension

Abstract Objective To determine the effects of the Self-Management Training Program on self-management behavior and blood pressure (BP) levels among elderly people with hypertension (HT). Methods This study was based on a quasi-experimental design using sampling groups composed of elderly residents of Pathum Thani Province with HT. Simple random sampling was applied to two sampling groups, an experimental group and a control group. However, the experimental group had been on the Self-Management Training Program based on the Creer concept. The Program's contents included small-group health-education sessions and the patients’ manual, Self-Management Training Skills for Self-Management Behavior. Small group discussions were held for self-reflection, to stimulate follow-up for self-management behavior training during home visits. The Self-Management Training Program was compared with programs involving the more usual care. Data were collected using the Self-Management Behavior for Hypertension Control Questionnaire and BP assessment tests. Data were analyzed using a descriptive statistic, chi-square test, pair t-test, repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and repeated-measures Analysis Covariance (ANCOVA). Results It was found that at 13 weeks after entering the program, the experimental group demonstrated a significantly lower systolic and diastolic BP with a baseline statistical significance (P < 0.005), and that at the 4th week and the 13th week, there was a decrease in BP in the experimental group. The experimental group also had above-baseline self-management behavior scores that were higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). Conclusions Results from this study show that the Self-Management Program was useful for BP control and promoted sustainable self-management behavior.