The Effect of Education Based on Spousal Social Support on Improving Self-Care Behaviors in Men with High Blood Pressure.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: High blood pressure is an important and controllable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Social support received by spouse and self-care are effective factors in controlling and preventing the complications of hypertension, therefore, this study was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of education based on spousal social support on improving self-care behaviors in men with high blood pressure. Methods: The present study was an interventional study performed on 112 male patients with primary hypertension and their spouse who referred to health centers of Qom city in 2019. After selecting the eligible individuals to enter the study using convenience sampling method, the subjects under study, were divided into two groups of experimental (n = 56) and control (n = 56) through block randomization method. Questionnaires and checklists were completed by the experimental and control groups before and two months after the intervention. Results: The results showed that the mean score of each of the dimensions of self-care behaviors and social support of the subjects’ spouse significantly increased in the experimental group after the educational intervention (p < 0.05). Moreover, the mean systolic blood pressure score significantly decreased in the experimental group after the intervention (p < 0.05), but this decrease was not significant for diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that education based on spousal social support improves self-care behaviors and lowers systolic blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

Keywords

• social support
• self care
• hypertension