The prevalence and determinants of hypertension among elderly in Dinudom Sub District, Lumtup District, Krabi Province, Thailand

Abstract

The objective of the study on the Prevalence and Determinants of Hypertension among elderly in Dinudom Sub district, Lumtap District, Krabi Province is to find the Prevalence of Hypertension among elderly. The Determinants caused Hypertension in elderly and the relationship of Prevalence and Determinants of Hypertension among elderly in Dinudom Sub district, Lumtap District, Krabi Province. The Study Population was 360 elderly respondents. Data Collection was held during April-May 2004. From the Study Population, the numbers of male respondents were closed to the numbers of female respondents between 60 and 69 years old and married. Most of the respondents were literacy with primary school education. The majority of the respondents was doing agriculture for living and had sufficient income. Most of the respondents earned the income from the descendant. There was no genetic heritable of developing Hypertension. Most of the respondents had the chronic disease which had the duration more than six months with at least 1-2 chronic diseases. The handicap condition for more than six months in minority of the study population were deaf or stone deaf and health problem. The respondents had the disability with the duration more than six months with the conditions that did not effect toward their ability to work or perform the activities. The respondents, had the recent health problem or the illness in two weeks, encountered with only one illness. Most of the respondents had the health problem or the illness which associated with accident or injury from household activities. More than half of the study population was educated about Hypertension. According to the blood pressure measurement in the study population, the Prevalence among elderly is 33.06%. 44.4% of the respondents had the past risk behaviors which developed Hypertension such behaviors referred as eating foods that were high salt, high fat and cholesterol, drinking alcohol, and smoking. 34.4% of the respondents had the present risk behaviors which developed Hypertension such behaviors referred as eating foods that were high salt, high fat and cholesterol, drinking alcohol, and smoking. At present, the elderly still maintains the behaviors of eating foods that were high salt, high fat and cholesterol, drinking alcohol, and smoking. 61.1% of the respondents exercised in regular basic by Aerobic (41.1% of all the respondents who exercised). In regard to the evaluation of potential of the elderly in performing Basic Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activity of Daily Living, the elderly respondents had disability to perform Instrumental Activity of Daily Living rather than Basic Activities of Daily Living. In accordance with the relationship of Prevalence and Determinants of Hypertension among elderly, the respondents who had high salt consumption in the past behavior could develop Hypertension more than the respondents who did not have high salt consumption. 36.5% of the respondents who had high salt consumption in the past behavior developed Hypertension whereas 23.7% of the respondents who did not have high salt consumption in the past behavior developed Hypertension. The experiment showed the relationship of the high salt consumption and Hypertension with the significant statistic level at p < 0.05. Any other Determinants have no relationship with Prevalence of Hypertension.