Abstract:
Coronary heart disease is a significant health problem in Karen at risk that requires appropriate preventive behaviors. This predictive correlational research aimed to describe the preventive behaviors against coronary heart disease and to determine factors influencing those preventive behaviors. Multi-stage random sampling was used to recruit 207 participants of Karen at risk in Tak province. Data were carried out from November to December 2020. Research instruments were interviews including basic information, the Preventive Behavior Knowledge (Kruder-Richardson = 0.72), the Preventive Behaviors Perception, the Disease Preventive Resource Accessibility, the Social Support Perception, the Self-EfficacyPerception, and the Preventive Behaviors (Cronbachs alpha coefficients = 0.74-0.88). Descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression statistics were performed to analyze the data. The results revealed that the preventive behaviors against coronary heart disease among Karen at risk in overall, the food consumption, the exercise, the stress management, and the smoking dimensions were rated at medium levels. While the alcohol drinking and the medication adherence and follow-up dimensions were rated at high levels. The self-efficacy perception (β= 0.43) together with the social support perception (β = 0.16) were factors influencing the preventive behaviors and could explain 23.0% of the variance accounted for the preventive behaviors against coronary heart disease (R 2 = .230, F = 30.40, p < .001). These findings suggest that nurses and other health personnel should develop the program to promote the preventive behaviors against coronary heart disease in Karen at risk through increasing the selfefficacy perception and encouraging family, and important persons to participate in preventive behavior support. Consequently, the Karen at risk to have appropriate preventive behaviors in order to improve their health and the quality of life