Abstract
Background
Self‐efficacy and family social support are significantly associated with hypertension self‐care behaviours. However, little is known about their mechanism in Saudi Arabia. This cross‐sectional study aimed to examine the relationships among family social support, self‐efficacy, and self‐care behaviours among men with hypertension in Saudi Arabia.
Methods
Data were collected from May to August of 2018. The Hypertension Self‐Care Profile and the Perceived Social Support from Friends and Family scales were used to measure the study variables. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the relationships between the variables, and the Baron and Kenny test was used to assess if self‐efficacy mediated the relationship between family social support and hypertension self‐care behaviours.
Results
Respondents (N = 158) from the Jizan and Al‐Sharqia regions of Saudi Arabia completed the survey. Family social support and self‐efficacy were significantly associated with hypertension self‐care behaviours. In regression, self‐efficacy was the only variable significantly associated with hypertension self‐care behaviours. Self‐efficacy fully mediated the relationship between family social support and hypertension self‐care behaviours.
Conclusions
Interventions to enhance hypertension self‐care behaviours among Saudi men could focus on increasing individual's self‐confidence to perform specific healthy behaviours. Family support can also contribute to the performance of hypertension self‐care behaviours.
SUMMARY STATEMENT
What is already known about this topic?
Hypertension is a public health concern in Saudi Arabia, and its control is highly associated with effective self‐care behaviours.
Family social support is an important factor that contributes to improved blood pressure control and enhanced patients' quality of life.
Self‐efficacy is necessary to promote healthy self‐care behaviours.
What this paper adds?
There is a need to support family members' engagement in hypertension treatment plan.
The study provides evidence that self‐efficacy fully mediates the relationship between family social support and hypertension self‐care behaviours among men in Saudi Arabia.
The implications of this paper:
Nurses providing care for patients with hypertension should teach the family how to care for their loved ones to prevent unexpected complications.
The results of this study can be used for further encouragement to self‐efficacy interventions for patients with hypertension.
Based on our analysis of the literature, it is clear that further research is needed on improving self‐efficacy and family social support in hypertension care.