Effectiveness of brain potential development activities based on the health belief model among older adults at a community in Nakhon Pathom Province

Abstract

The purpose of this quasi-experimental research was to evaluate the effectiveness of brain potential development activities based on the health belief model among older adults at a community in Nakhon Pathom Province. A sample of 30 older adults at a community, was  purposively selected. Research instruments included: 1) the brain potential development activities based on the health belief model, 2) the health belief assessment, and 3) the knowledge test on dementia. Content validity indices were 0.89, 0.93, and 0.86 respectively. Reliability coefficients  of  the health belief assessment and the knowledge test on dementia were 0.78  and 0.72 respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test. The findings revealed that after participating in the brain potential development activities, all older adults gained knowledge on dementia  at a high level. Their health belief in total and the subparts of  perceived susceptibility of dementia, perceived severity of dementia, and perceived benefits of prevention, were significantly higher than before participating in the brain potential development activities at p < .001. In contrast, their health belief in the subpart of perceived barriers of practice, was lower than before participating in the brain potential development activities.