Status and influential factors of health self-management in community elderly people and stroke patients

Objective To examine the status and influential factors of health self-management among community elderly people and stroke patients and to provide a scientific basis for taking appropriate interventions.Methods Investigations were carried out among 6 173 community people aged 60 years and above in three cities of Hebei province with multi-stage stratified cluster sampling.Results Among the participants,the prevalence rate of stroke was 13.87%and the age-standardized prevalence rate was 12.67%.The scores for health self-management behavior,environment,and cognition of the elderly with stroke were 47.75±10.86,35.60±8.29,and 58.35±7.74 and all the scores were lower than those of the elderly without stroke,with significant differences(P<0.01 for all).Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the elderly people with stroke,living in urban area,having better health status and higher education,with social support and good daily living ability had better health self-management behaviors; the elderly people with stroke,living in urban area,having higher education,with social support and good daily living ability had better health self-management environment; the elderly people with stroke,living in urban area,and with good social support had better health self-management awareness(P<0.01).Conclusion Community elderly people with stroke have poor health self-management ability.Residential area,education level,health status,social support,activities of daily living are the main factors of health self-management among community elderly stroke patients and the factors need to be concerned for interventions on health self-management among community elderly people and stroke patients.