A Study on Dysphagia in the Elderly Based on Health Belief Model among the Elderly in Hua Sai Sub-District, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand

Abstract This study is quantitative research. Its objectives were to: 1) Explore the level of dysphagia in the elderly according to health belief model of the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province, 2) Compare the types of dysphagia in the elderly based on health belief model among the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province according to general data, and 3) Study the swallowing difficulties, in the elderly based on the health belief model, which affect self-care to prevent choking of the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province. The sample was 227elderly people in Hua Sai Subdistrict, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province. The statistics used were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, f-test, and multiple regression. The results of the study showed that: 1) The overall dysphagia in the elderly based on the health belief model among the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province was moderate. The average levels were considered in each aspect and ranked sequentially from the highest to the lowest level were in the following: perceived threats, perceived severity, perceived opportunities of risk, perceived self-efficacy, cues to action, and perceived obstacles respectively. 2) Comparison of dysphagia in the elderly based on health belief model of the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province, classified according to general data, it was found that the gender, age, marital status, education level, and occupation were different. And the swallowing difficulties in the elderly based on health belief model of the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province were not different, but the adequacy of income and underlying diseases were different. 3) Dysphagia in the elderly based on health belief model could affect self-care to prevent choking in the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province. In terms of cues to action, perceived self-efficacy, and perceived threats affect the self-care to prevent choking among the elderly in Hua Sai Sub-district, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province, accounting for 43.60 percent, statistically significant at the level of .05.