Factors Associated with Health Behaviors among Olderly Bangriang Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Thapput District, Phang Nga Province

Abstract

Abstract

            This cross-sectional descriptive research aimed to 1) examine the level of health care behaviors among the elderly, 2) investigate the association between health literacy and health care behaviors among the elderly, and 3) investigate the association between social support and health care behaviors among the elderly in Bang Riang Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital area, Thap Put District, Phang Nga Province. The population consisted of 358 socially active elderly aged 60 years and over. Sample size was calculated using Daniel's formula (2010), resulting in 195 participants. Quota sampling combined with systematic random sampling was used for data collection. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 4 parts: personal characteristics, health literacy, social support, and health care behaviors. Content validity was verified by 3 experts with an Item-Objective Congruence index of 0.50 and above. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient: Part 2 at 0.909, Part 3 at 0.909, Part 4 at 0.891, and overall at 0.950. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient at a significance level of 0.05.

            The results revealed that overall health care behaviors were at a good level (96.41%) (𝑥̅=4.37, S.D.=0.345). Health literacy was positively associated with health care behaviors at a high level with statistical significance (r=0.751, P-value<0.001), with the highest correlation found in the decision-making dimension (r=0.692, P-value<0.001). Social support was positively associated with health care behaviors at a moderate level with statistical significance (r=0.673, P-value<0.001), with the highest correlation found in family support (r=0.658, P-value<0.001).