The Comparison of Self - Management in Preventing and Controlling High Blood Pressure between Patients with Hypertension and Healthy People in Vietnam.

Abstract
Title of thesis: The Comparison of Self - Management in Preventing and Controlling High Blood Pressure between Patients with Hypertension and Healthy People in Vietnam
Institution: Graduate Institute of Nursing, Taipei Medical University
Author: Duong Thi To Anh
Thesis Advisor: Professor, Hsiu-Ting Tsai, Ph.D
Background: Hypertension control is still one of the challenges in the world and blood pressure self-management behavior is one of the main key points to solve this problem. However, information on the blood pressure self-management behavior of patients with hypertension and healthy people in Vietnam is lacking.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess popular sources on health information and preferred sources on hypertension information, also to determine differences in knowledge of hypertension and blood pressure self-management behavior between healthy people and patients with hypertension, and to suggest possible predictors of blood pressure self-management in Vietnam.
Methodology: A cross-sectional and descriptive study design was used for the study which was conducted in six hospitals in Thai Nguyen Province, located in North of Vietnam. Blood pressure self-management behavior was assessed using the five components questionnaire administered face to face on the study population, which comprised patients with hypertension (n = 362) and healthy people (n = 174).
Results: Mass media was main source of health information, and health promotion program conducted by health center was the top preferred source for hypertension information in Vietnam. Patients with hypertension presented with higher total score of hypertension knowledge and blood pressure self-management behavior scores including self-integration, self-regulation, interaction with health professionals and significant others and self-monitoring, compared to healthy people. Among patients with hypertension, those living in rural areas (β = -2.32, p < 0.0001, 95% CI: [-2.72-1.91]) and with longer duration of hypertension (β = 1.88, p <0.0001, 95% CI: [0.49-2.27]) were significantly predicted with the score of self-management behavior while among healthy people, higher knowledge of hypertension (β = 0.34, p<0.0001, 95% CI: [0.24-0.46]) and previous education on prevention of hypertension (β = 0.86, p = 0.002, 95% CI: [0.33-1.39]) were predicted with their blood pressure self-management.
Conclusion: The study showed that main source of information about health in Vietnam was mass media, such as television and/or radio. The top preferred source on prevention of hypertension was health promotion program conducted by health center, and followed by TV and/or radio, book, magazines, or newspaper. Patients with hypertension presented with higher scores about hypertension knowledge and blood pressure self-management behavior in comparison with healthy people. Blood pressure self-management behavior among patients with hypertension was predicted by longer duration with hypertension and living in urban areas while for healthy people was predicted by higher hypertension knowledge and previous education on prevention of hypertension. Our study provide important information on blood pressure self-management behavior among Vietnamese. It is essential for the development of new strategies to improve the prevention and controlling of hypertension. The health professionals should take these factors into account when in contact with them by giving more health education programs to increase hypertension knowledge and blood pressure self- management behavior among the population.

Key words: Blood pressure self-management behavior, knowledge of hypertension, healthy people, and patients with hypertension.