Factors Affecting Preventive Behaviors of Complications among Older Adults with Ischemic Heart Disease

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) complications in elderly patients affect quality of life, physical and mental health, disability, and death. Prevention behaviors help reduce the risk of IHD complications among elderly patients. The present study was an analytical cross-sectional study, aimed to determine prevention behaviors of complications among older adults with IHD, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. Objective: To predict factors affecting prevention behaviors of complications among older adults with IHD. Materials and Methods: The present study sample included 300 elderly patients with IHD treated in Khon Kaen Hospital, Thailand. They were randomly selected by a simple sampling technique. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire consisting of eight parts, 1) sociodemographic characteristics, 2) knowledge about prevention behaviors of IHD complications, 3) perceived severity, 4) perceived susceptibility, 5) perceived outcome, 6) perceived self-efficacy, 7) social support, and 8) prevention behaviors of IHD complications. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple regression analysis were employed for data analyses. Results: The majority of participants (85.3%) had high scores for prevention behaviors of IHD complications in elderly patients, with scores of 3.68 to 5.00. Factors that significantly affected prevention behaviors of IHD complications in elderly patients included information support (Beta=0.313), perceived severity of IHD complications (Beta=0.149), and knowledge (Beta=0.124). These three factors explained 17.5% of prevention behaviors of complications among older adults with IHD. Conclusion: Health care providers and care givers should educate the elderly patients with IHD about the affecting factors to IHD including supported information, perceived severity, and knowledge. Therefore, the elders can change their behavior and reduce the risk of IHD complications.