The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Social Support Of Senile Hypertensives

BackgroundHypertension is the most common chronic cardiovascular disease. The self-efficacy of hypertensives is of great importance in the long-term treatment and recovery. The hypertensives were mainly elderly people, who need more social support to enhance their abilities of healthy behaviors and self-efficacy and return to normal blood pressure. However, literatures about the relationship between self-efficacy and social support of senile hypertensives are insufficient at home and abroad. The exploration of the relationship between self-efficacy and social support of senile hypertensives can provide the bases for the intervention of self-efficacy and clinical practices of these patients.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were:to measure the self-efficacy and social support level of senile hypertensives; to explore the relationship between self-efficacy and social support of senile hypertensives.MethodBy convenient sampling,128cases of senile hypertensives in the outpatient clinic of a first class hospital were recruited into this study. General Condition Questionnaire, Hypertension Self-efficacy Scale and Social Support Rating Scale were used to measure the general condition, self-efficacy and social support of these patients. The whole quantified materials were entered into the established database. SPSS17.0Software was employed to do the statistical analysis.1. Frequency, percent, mean and standard deviation were used to describle the general information(including social demographic information and disease related information), self-efficacy and social support;2. t-test, analysis of variance and rank-sum test were used to discuss the influence of general information on self-efficacy of these patients; 3. Pearson correlation analysis was used to discuss the relationship between self-efficacy and social support of these patients;4. Multiple linear regression analysis was implemented with the total point and the points of dimensions of self-efficacy (including Daily life, health behavior, taking medicine and compliant behaviors) as dependent variables and items statistically significant in univariate analysis and correlation analysis as independent variables to discuss the influence factors and explanatory power of self-efficacy.Result1. The total score of self-efficacy of128cases of senile hypertensives was26.91±2.89, among which daily life, health behavior, pharmacotherapy and treatment compliance self-efficacy were respectively7.33±2.76,6.58±2.21,8.21±3.11and4.79±3.22.2. The total score of social support of128cases of senile hypertensives was40.16±7.70, among which the objective support, subjective support and support availability were respectively9.92±2.54,24.11±5.31and8.04±2.14.3. The self-efficacy and social support of senile hypertensives were positively correlated with each other (r=0.481,P<0.01)4. Univariate analysis results showed that:senile hypertensives with a higher education level, a spouse, a free medical service, a longer disease duration and presence of combined chronic diseases had better self-efficacy(P<0.05or P<0.01).Multivariate analysis results showed that:social support, presence of combined chronic diseases and marital status entered the multiple linear regression equation of self-efficacy of senile hypertensives, and explained31.8%of the total variance.Conclusion1. The level of self-efficacy of senile hypertensives is lower, especially in daily life, health behavior and treatment compliance; the level of social support of senile hypertensives is at a medium level.2. There is a positive correlation between the social support and self-efficacy of senile hypertensives; the self-efficacy of senile hypertensives with higer social support is better.