The status and predictors of self-care among older adults with hypertension in China using the Chinese version of Self-Care of Hypertension Inventory - A cross-sectional study.

All 544 participants were convenience sampled from cardiology and geriatrics departments in one city, so the results may not represent older adults with hypertension in other regions or settings. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that education, living alone, caregiver type, insurance, disease duration, or blood pressure caused better self-care. Only 378 of 544 participants completed the self-care management subscale because it was asked only of those who had elevated blood pressure in the past month, so that part describes a subgroup. The regression models were significant but did not explain much of the variation, suggesting important predictors were missing. Some participants needed help completing questionnaires because of low education, poor vision or hand shaking, which may have affected responses. The analysis considered mainly demographic and clinical information, not broader psychological, family and social factors.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province.

Do not read better self-care among people who often received education as proof that education improved self-care. This was a cross-sectional survey, so it measured education and self-care at the same time and cannot show cause.