The Correlation of Family Support and Social Support with the Adherence to Physical Exercise Among the Older persons with Hypertension

Abstract

This study is to determine the correlation of family support and social support with the adherence to physical exercise among the older persons with hypertension. It was a descriptive analytical type of quantitative research with the cross-sectional approach. Data were collected from the working area of Tugu Community Health Center, Depok involving 108 older persons with hypertension. Two questionnaires were used to measure the characteristic of the respondents (questionnaire A) and family support, social support, and adherence to physical exercise (questionnaire B). The data
analysis included univariate, bivariate, and multivariate correlations. There is a signi fi cant correlation of family support and social support with the adherence to physical exercise among the older persons with hypertension. Family support has the greatest in fl uence on the adherence to physical exercise among the older persons with hypertension (β coeffi cient value: 0.381). The older persons with hypertension need a strong support from the family or closest friends to improve the adherence to hypertension treatments, one of which is physical exercise. Family support has the major infl uence on the adherence to physical exercise among the older persons so that the development of communitybased and family-based nursing strategies through the empowerment of the older persons care groups and family empowerment is essential to be carried out.