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Hypertension in community-dwelling elders from a statewide study: implications for nonpharmacologic therapy
J R Ciesla1, G Piane, A J Rubens
1School of Allied Health Professions, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb 60115-2854, USA.
Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
|March 12, 1999
Summary
Sociodemographic factors like age and socioeconomic status influence lifestyle changes in hypertensive elders. Awareness of hypertension is key for elders to adopt healthier habits for disease management.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Health Behavior
Background:
- Hypertension is a prevalent chronic condition among elders.
- Lifestyle modifications are crucial for hypertension management.
- Understanding sociodemographic predictors of behavior change is vital for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify sociodemographic variables predicting lifestyle modifications in hypertensive elders.
- To examine factors influencing smoking cessation, dietary changes, exercise, medication adherence, and stress management.
Main Methods:
- Multivariate analysis of data from the 1990 Panel Study of Older South Carolinians (n=6,473).
- Five separate logistic regressions were conducted to predict specific hypertension-reducing lifestyle changes.
- Dependent variables included smoking cessation, diet change, exercise, medication use, and stress management.
Main Results:
- Age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, medical history, and social participation were significant predictors.
- These factors influenced the likelihood of elders adopting various hypertension control behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Sociodemographic factors play a significant role in the adoption of lifestyle modifications for hypertension management among older adults.
- Findings have implications for designing effective public health prevention programs tailored to specific elder populations.