HYPERTENSION IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERS FROM A STATEWIDE STUDY - IMPLICATIONS FOR NONPHARMACOLOGIC THERAPY

This study used multivariate analysis to determine the sociodemographi c variables that predict whether hypertensive-elders who are aware of their disease deliberately make lifestyle modifications aimed at contr olling their hypertension. The data are from the 1990 Panel Study of O lder South Carolinians (n = 6,473). The researchers performed five sep arate logistic regressions, each to predict the odds that the elders m ade specific lifestyle changes to reduce their hypertension. The depen dent variable in the first regression was 1 = quit smoking to reduce h ypertension and 0 = did not quit smoking to reduce hypertension. Chang ing diet, exercising, taking medication, and using stress management t echniques were the dependent variables in the second, third, fourth, a nd fifth regressions, respectively. Significant determinants included age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, previous medical hi story, and social participation. This paper discussed implications for prevention programs.