Self-Care Behaviors of Persons with Hyperventilation Syndrome at a Community Hospital in Southern Thailand

Abstract

Objective: To describe self-care behaviors of persons with hyperventilation syndrome. Methods: This descriptive research was applied. The participants comprised 58 persons with hyperventilation syndrome who had been treated at the emergency unit of a community hospital in southern Thailand, and the primary key-informant participants were 12 persons with hyperventilation syndrome. The research instruments consisted of; 1) a demographic data questionnaire; 2) a self-care behavior of persons with hyperventilation syndrome questionnaire; and 3) a semi-structured interview of self-care behaviors. Three experts examined the validity of the instruments part 2-3. The reliability of instrument part 2 was tested using the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient, yielding a value of .89. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. Result: The results of quantitative data showed that participants with hyperventilation syndrome had an overall mean score on self-care behaviors at a high level (M = 3.93, SD = .42). The results of qualitative data of self-care behavior revealed that there were two issues, in the following categories: 1) the direct management of hyperventilation symptom using a bag covering the nose and mouth, and 2) the avoiding triggers is an indirect self-care behavior, it involved reducing exposure to triggering events or stimuli by withdrawing from the situation or being alone. Conclusion: The results of this research support understanding that perception of the self-care behaviors’ persons with hyperventilation syndrome was at high level, and it could be used as a guideline for nursing practice to support the self-care behaviors of persons with hyperventilation syndrome.