The Effects of Educational Program on Self-Care behavior of the hypertension Patients in Rural Areas of Minoodash

Aims: Many people with hypertension are unaware of their problem. As hypertension may have no warning sign and causes serious complications, designing effective interventions to sensitize the community towards its control is necessary.the current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of self-care educational programs for hypertension in rural areas of Minoodash County. Method: In this quasi-experimental study, ۱۳۶ patients with hypertension from rural areas of Minoodasht county are studied. Two-stage random cluster sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire whose validity and reliability was assessed. The questionnaire consisted of demographic and related outcomes parts (adherence to diet and drug therapy, physical activity, adherence to control (measurement) of blood pressure, and feelings related to behavior). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (i.e. mean, percentage, and absolute and relative frequency). Also, paired t-test and covariance analyses were used. SPSS version ۱۹ was used to analyze the data. Findings: Based on the paired t-test, the mean of measured dimensions was significantly increased after providing the intervention (p-value<۰.۰۰). The covariance analysis was also statistically significant (p-value<۰.۰۵), after removing the pre-test effects of variables. Conclusion: This study showed the positive effects of educational interventions on those who suffer from hypertension. Educational programs, as a core component of health promotion, can improve the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of trainees to maintain and adherence to promote their health.

Keywords:

self-care , Hypertension , educational program