Effect of Stress Management Training for the Elderly in Rural Northern Thailand

Abstract

Background: Stress management is an important health promotion activity for elderly people. Objective: This research aimed to study the effect of stress management training program on the knowledge and stress management skills of elderly living in the rural community of northern Thailand. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study. The elderly living in rural northern part areas of Thailand were recruited for the study. Multi-stage random sampling was employed to select participants. Seventy-two elderly people were assigned to the intervention group. Participants received stress management training, including knowledge, meditation, and self-practice massage. Interview questionnaires were used as a research instrument in the process of data collection. An independent t-test was employed to compare mean scores between the two groups. Three different time periods were examined using repeated measures ANOVA, test with a significant level of 0.05. Results: After the program, there were statistically significant differences in mean scores of knowledge and stress management between the intervention and the control group. The mean scores of knowledge and stress management of the intervention group were higher than the control group (p-value<0.05), and the level of stress of the elderly in the intervention group had decreased within and between groups after the follow-up (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: Stress management training program is effective in developing knowledge and stress management skills and helping reduce stress for the elderly living in the rural community of Thailand. This program should be applied to reduce stress and to improve quality of life among other age groups.