A Study on the Predictive Power of the Health Belief Model Constructs in Self-Care Behaviors of Patients with Hypertension

Aim: Hypertension is a chronic and asymptomatic disease leading to death of at least 45% of patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Self-care is important to minimize the risks and complications caused by hypertension. This aim of the present study was to determine the predictive power of constructs of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in self-care behaviors of patients with hypertension. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytic study of cross-sectional type carried out on 125 patients over 30 years old with hypertension who referred to the rural health centers in Rasht city. Sampling was done in multi-stage form, and the patients were selected randomly. To collect data, a valid and reliable questionnaire containing demographic information and questions of constructs of the HBM and self-care behaviors was used. Findings: Based on Pearson’s correlation analysis, a significant and negative relationship was observed between self-care behaviors and construct of perceived barriers. Also there was a significant and positive relationship between self-care behaviors and the construct of cues to action. Based on linear regression analysis, the HBM could predict 19% of variance of self-care behaviors by two constructs of perceived barriers (B=0.22, SE=0.04, P=0.01) and cues to action (B=0.19, SE=0.06, P=0.02). Conclusion: According to the predictive power of the HBM and the role of constructs of perceived barriers and cues to action in self-care behaviors of patients with hypertension, it is needed to focus on educational interventions based on this model to reduce the perceived barriers and influencing the cues to action.

کلیدواژه ها:

Health Belief Model (HBM) ، Hypertension ، Self-care