Factors Related to Self-Protection Behavior COVID-19 among the Elderly with Diabetes and Hypertension, Det Udom District, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional study explored factors associated with preventive behavior against COVID-19
among the elderly with diabetes and hypertension. Data were collected between September 2021 to
January 2022. Participants included 320 early-onset elderly patients (60-69 years) with diabetes and
hypertension in the Det Udom district, Ubon Ratchathani province. The participants were selected using
simple random sampling. A questionnaire was served as the research tool. A descriptive statistic; number,
percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to analyse the data and Inference statistical by Chisquare.
The results showed that 69.1% of the participants were female, had an average age of 63.72, and
were 80.3% married. 44.1% of participants had finished elementary school. The majority of participants
(79.1%) earned an average monthly wage of 3,076 baths, while 79.1% of participants worked in agriculture.
Diabetes was identified as the main underlying disease in 43.1% of cases. Most of the participants
knew COVID-19 at a high level (98.8%). Their attitude toward COVID-19 was at a high level
(40.3%) and their preventive behavior against COVID-19 was at a high level (54.4%). In addition,
there attitude was statistically associated with preventive behavior to COVID-19 significantly (p<0.05).
Thus, the risk of infection can be decreased by encouraging knowledge, attitudes, and self-protection
behaviors in the elderly in order to reduce the incidence of serious illnesses, which will further decrease
the COVID-19 death rate.