THE RELATION BETWEEN HEALTH BELIEFS AND SELF HEALTH CARE BEHAVIORS OF ELDERS IN NONGKAE SUBDISTRICT, RASISALAI DISTRICT, SISAKET PROVINCE

Abstract

This study was a survey research which aims to study the relation between health beliefs model and health care behaviors of elders in Nongkae Subdistrict, Rasisalai District, Sisaket Province. Data were collected by using questionnaires which 202 samples. Who selected by stratified random sampling and simple random sampling. The data were analyzed by using statistics of frequency, percentage, minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, Chi-square: (χ2 ) and Pearson ProductMoment Correlation Coefficient.

The results indicated that most of elders had health belief at a high levels (93.6 % and X = 2.65). When considering in each espects, they had perceived severity to disease and accidents at a high levels (X = 2.85), followed by perceived susceptibility to disease and accidents and perceived benefits to disease and accidents prevention at a high levels (X = 2.79 and 2.65 in ordered), the perceived barriers to prevent disease and accidents at a moderate levels (X = 2.29) the samples had health care behaviors at a high level (84.7 % and X = 1.49). When considering in each espect, they had health care behaviors of disease and accidents prevention at a high level (X = 1.78), followed by dietary and accidents, avoidance of inappropriate behavior, and stress management at a high level (X = 1.59, 1.44 and 1.36 in ordered), and exercise behaviors at a moderate levels (X =1.26). The relation analysis found that education level and sources of income were related to health care behaviors at .05 significance level And the perceived benefits of disease and accidents prevention was related to self care behaviors at .05 The results of this study could be useful for providing a model of health promotion activities for elders to change their health care behavior.