The Effects of Educational Program on Self-Care Behavior of the Hypertension Patients in Rural Areas of Minoodasht

Many people with hypertension are unaware of their problem. As hypertension may have no warning signs 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.

In this quasi-experimental study, 136 patients with hypertension from rural areas of Minodasht county were studied in 2019. Two-stage random cluster sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire whose validity and reliability were 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 paired t-tests and covariance by SPSS 19.

Based on the paired t-test, the mean of measured dimensions was significantly increased after providing the intervention (p<0.05). The covariance analysis was also statistically significant (p<0.05), after removing the pre-test effects of variables.

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 adhere to promote their health.