Effects of a Motivational Interviewing Program on Self-care Behaviors and Blood Pressure Level among Patients with Uncontrolled Hypertension in the Tha Thong Health Promoting Hospital, Mueang District, Phitsanulok Province

Abstract

           This quasi-experimental research aimed to examine how a motivational interviewing program affected self-care behaviors and blood pressure levels in patients with uncontrolled hypertension at Tha Thong Health Promoting Hospital (HPH), Mueang District, Phitsanulok Province. The samples were 60 patients who registered in HPH and were included by the simple random sampling. They were divided symmetrically into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. A motivational interviewing program was used as the intervention. Data were collected using a self-care behavioral evaluation form and a home blood pressure monitoring form. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.84 when the tools' quality was evaluated. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and independent sample t-tests.

          The results showed that 1) after experimenting the program, the experimental group had a statistically significant higher mean score on self-care behavior and lower blood pressure than before at p<0.05. 2) there were statistically significant differences between experimental group and control group in the higher mean score on self-care behavior and lower blood pressure at p<.05, respectively. As a result, the motivational interviewing approach may enhance self-care practices and blood pressure control in hypertension patients. It was suitable for patient care and was also capable of controlling blood pressure levels.