Authors : Bundit Wannaprapan, Wirat Pansila, Chalermpol Tansakul and Frank-Peter Shelp
Abstract: Incidence of hypertension has remained relatively high in Nakhonratchasima province and still being top priority chronic disease of provincial health problems. The quasi-experimental research pre-test, post-test two groups design was conducted for this research. Tertiary prevention of hypertension through empowerment health behavior was objective for improve knowledge about and understand, health belief, practice of life-style modification and decrease blood pressure. The empowerment process intervention was applied in hypertensive patients of experimental group those were selected by purposive sampling and matching technique with the control group those were 40 subjects in each group. Data was collected from the experimental group at pre-test, post-test immediately after the end of the 4 days intervention program, after 6 months at follow up and in the control group at pre-test and post-test after 6 months later. The data were analyzed by using a statistical package, descriptive statistics, paired t-test and in dependent t-test. The results indicated that the mean scores of knowledge about and understand, health belief and practice of life-style modification at immediately the 4 days intervention and post-test 6 months were significantly higher than those at pre-test and control group (p<0.001). The mean scores of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in experimental group at immediately the 4 days intervention and post-test 6 months were significantly lower than those at pre-test and control group (p<0.001). For conclusion, the 4 days empowerment process intervention that improve health behavior for control blood pressure. Thus, the hypertensive patients should be followed up continuously and must receive proper health behavior program for sustainable.
Bundit Wannaprapan, Wirat Pansila, Chalermpol Tansakul and Frank-Peter Shelp, 2012. Tertiary Prevention of Hypertension Through Empowerment Health Behavior of Ambulatory Patients at Selected Primary Care Units of Nakhonratchasima Province, Thailand. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 9: 63-68.