Aging levels of hypertensioners over 65 years and tendencies toachieve a healthy lifestyle

The aim of this study is to determine the age-sensing levels of age and the tendency of individuals who have been diagnosed with hypertension over 65 to reach a healthy lifestyle. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 290 individuals hospitalized in the Internal Medicine, Palliative, Orthopedics, Neurology, Chest Diseases, Cardiology and Urology wards of Amasya University Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Training and Research Hospital between 01.05.2023- 01.03.2024. Written approval was obtained from Amasya University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee and institutional permission was obtained from Amasya University Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Training and Research Hospital. Data were collected using the Patient Introduction Form, Perception of Aging Scale Form and Healthy Lifestyle Attainment Scale Form. The distribution of variables in the study was measured by Kolmogorov Smirnov test. Kruskal- Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze quantitative independent data. Spearman correlation analysis method was applied in correlation analysis. The power of the study was determined according to G*Power analysis. Statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05. The mean age of the individuals was 73.43±6.85 years, 55.5% were female, 70.3% were married and 48.3% were primary school graduates. Considering their economic status, 47.9% of them had an income less than their expenses, 85.9% lived with their families and 76.9% had a nuclear family structure. The mean score of the Tendency to Achieve a Healthy Lifestyle Scale of the individuals participating in the study was 18.0±6.0. The mean score of the Perception of Aging Scale was 53.49±5.79. The mean score of the Tendency to Achieve a Healthy Lifestyle Scale was found to be higher in individuals who were married, diagnosed with hypertension 1-4 years ago, evaluated their own health status as "very good", restricted salt in the diet, performed regular physical activity and went to the doctor's control (p<0.05). B-APQ total scores of illiterate, literate and primary school graduates are higher than secondary school graduates (p<0.05). There was a positive, low and significant relationship between the total score of the Perception of Aging Scale and the total score of the Tendency to Achieve a Healthy Lifestyle Scale (r=0.116; p<0.05). The level of perception of aging and the tendency to achieve a healthy lifestyle in individuals with HT aged 65 years and older were found to be moderate. In line with the results of the study, it is recommended that individuals with HT aged 65 years and over should be encouraged to healthy living habits, individuals should be made aware of healthy living by providing necessary trainings, patients should be regularly checked and supported by a multidisciplinary team, individuals should be told that old age is a part of life and that there are many positive outcomes, and qualitative and quantitative studies should be conducted with individuals with HT in different regions with a more equal gender and economic distribution.