Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Unhealthy Behaviour Among Patients With Lifestyle Diseases in Kiambu County - Kenya

Abstract

Unhealthy behaviour such as unhealthy diets, inactive lifestyle, smoking and harmful alcohol use misuse are a significant contributor to lifestyle-related illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, heart diseases, and obesity. However, the influence of psychosocial factors on unhealthy behaviour among persons with lifestyle diseases in Kiambu County was unclear. Consequently, this study sought to establish how psychosocial factors influenced unhealthy behaviour among patients with lifestyle diseases in Kiambu County. Precisely, the study examined the influence of stress coping mechanisms, belief systems and peer pressure on unhealthy behaviour among patients living with lifestyle diseases in Kiambu County. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Health Belief Model (HBM) guided this research. Descriptive study design with cross-sectional survey was utilized. The study was conducted in three Kiambu County hospitals, Kiambu Level Five Hospital, Thika Level Five Hospital and Kihara Level Four Hospital. The study had a target population of 2,700 patients. The study sample size comprised of 215 patients along with 3 clinicians, 3 doctors and 3 nutritionists. The patients were selected using systematic sampling technique while the healthcare practitioners were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data collection tools were a questionnaire and an interview schedule. The patients responded to the questionnaire while the healthcare practitioners responded to the interview schedule. The study tools were pre-tested on 27 patients at Ruiru Level 4 Hospital. The questionnaire was assessed as reliable as it yielded a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.85. Quantitative data were analysed using various descriptive statistics namely frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation as well as inferential statistics in the form of Pearson correlation analysis using SPSS version 28. Qualitative data was analysed via content analysis with results reported verbatim. A total of 215 patients took part. From the findings, 61% of the patients ate unhealthy foods often;73% were physically inactive and 69% engaged in harmful use of alcohol. When stressed out, 61% (mean = 3.21, SD = 0.765) of the patients tended to sleep more; 54% (mean = 2.72, SD = 0.999) tended to eat a lot; 52% (mean = 3.43, SD = 0.987) drank alcohol excessively while 48% (mean = 2.62, SD = 0.963) engaged in self-isolation. On belief systems, 70% (mean = 3.88, SD = 0.591) believed that consuming expensive/fashionable diets, smoking and alcohol use was trendy while 68% (mean = 3.75, SD = 0.883) and 63% (mean = 3.71, SD = 0.772) agreed that meat consumption and alcohol use were part of their family celebrations. On peer pressure, 58% (mean = 3.89, SD = 0.821) ate more meat when with friends; 55% (mean = 3.71, SD = 0.905) took a lot of alcohol when with friends during weekends; 60% (mean = 3.43, SD = 0.749) agreed that their use of alcohol and cigarettes was influenced by friends; 61% (mean = 3.75, SD = 0.916) were at greater odds of excessive substance use (smoking or using alcohol) when with friends and 64% (mean = 3.63, SD = 0.735) were likely to eat unhealthy foods when out with friends. The study concluded that maladaptive stress coping mechanisms, unhealthy belief systems and peer pressure influenced unhealthy behaviour among the participants. The study recommends that health care providers should sensitize patients living with lifestyle diseases on the dangers of unhealthy lifestyle behaviour to their condition and should advocate for adoption of healthy living behaviours among these patients.