HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIOR AND INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCES AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN AN URBAN COMMUNITY

Hypertension is a prevalent chronic condition among Filipinos and is one of the leading causes of mortality, as it does not commonly manifest itself. The cornerstone of recommended care for hypertension is early detection, lifestyle changes, and medication adherence. However, adopting health-promoting behaviors is not as easy as it seems, for it is affected by one's social context and health beliefs. This paper aimed to determine health-seeking Behavior and interpersonal influences, those resulting from one's norms, social support, and modeling, as theorized by Pender. This study utilized the descriptive research design, participated by 60 hypertensive residents from an urban barangay in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines using a modified survey questionnaire from The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) for gathering data and descriptive statistics as statistical techniques. Results yielded that the majority of the participants belonged to the age group of 65 and above, were female, and married. Seeking consultation is the most practiced health-seeking Behavior, followed by self-medication, lifestyle modification, and the least was alternative management. Norms and social support were very influential in managing hypertension, while modeling was only somewhat influential. Enforcing health-seeking Behavior through setting expectations and providing support can be effective in managing the disease. This study promotes awareness that the direct involvement of significant others in caring for hypertension may efficiently produce positive outcomes and significantly reduce mortality.