the impact of health belief model-based education on self-care behaviors of hypertensive patients

Background: hypertension is a prevalent health problem worldwide, affecting numerous individuals aged 35 and above. objectives: this study aimed to assess the impact of a health belief model (hbm)-based educational intervention on self-care behaviors of hypertensive patients attending rural health centers in rasht county, north of iran.materials & methods: in this quasi-experimental study, 96 hypertensive patients were selected through a multi-stage sampling method and randomly divided into experimental and control groups (48 samples per group). the data collection tool consisted of a valid questionnaire comprising four parts: demographic variables, knowledge, hbm constructs, and self-care behaviors. the educational program was based on hbm and held during five 45-minute sessions per group (four 12-sample groups). the data was collected twice before and three months after the educational intervention.results: before the educational intervention, mean scores for knowledge and hbm constructs, self-care, and blood pressure were equal and showed no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups (p>0.05). however, after three months of the educational intervention, the mean score of knowledge, self-care, and all hbm constructs, except for perceived barriers, increased significantly in the experimental group (p<0.05). moreover, the patient’s mean blood pressure scores significantly decreased in the experimental group.conclusion: the substantial reduction in patients’ blood pressure levels indicated the success of the hbm-based intervention in enhancing self-care and blood pressure control in the target population. therefore, an educational approach is recommended as an effective, cost-efficient, and safe solution in blood pressure control programs.