Health Promotion Education for Elderly Patients by Using Structured Self-Health Records to Enhance Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Fall Prevention

Abstract

Background: Health promotion education in elderly is the most important key to successful implementation of fall prevention program in primary care practice. The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand has encouraged the hospital in community to use the self-health records which were found to enhance healthy behaviors.

Objective: To compare the knowledge and attitudes on fall prevention among elderly patients and their caregivers before and after the education program that employed using self-health records and receiving the counseling from nurses and pharmacists.

Methods: This embedded mixed methods study was designed by using the structured questionnaires including demographic data and measuring the knowledge and attitude on fall prevention for quantitative arm (143 elderly patients and 42 caregivers). The open-ended questions about the advantages and disadvantages of self-health records were used in qualitative part among 106 elderly patients and 29 caregivers after 6 months of using their records.

Results: Knowledge and attitude scores were statistically higher in all parts, including appropriate use of the medications, following vaccination schedule, and getting information about fall prevention from their primary care physicians. All participants in qualitative study required to have their self-health records to improve their understanding about their medications and health information.

Conclusions: Self-health records and receiving the counseling from nurses and pharmacists not only enhances the knowledge and attitude toward fall prevention program in older adults but also helps patients to communicate with the specialists about their health information.