EXAMINATION OF HYPERTENSION KNOWLEDGE LEVELS OF HYPERTENSION PATIENTS, TURKEY

Abstract

Hypertension is a global health problem that causes significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study is to determine the hypertension knowledge level of hypertension patients. This descriptive study is carried on with 207 patients who applied to a private medical clinic in Ankara, Turkey between January and March 2022. A semi-structured interview method was employed in the study to collect data. The questionnaire contains two sections. In the first section, the Sociodemographic characteristics form,, and in the second section, Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale (HK-LS) are used. The data were analyzed with the SPSS 21.0. The age range of the patients participating in the study varies between 18-73 years, and the mean age is 54.3±4.2. Among the participants, 53.1% of them are women, and 70.5% of them are married. The HK-LS average of the participants is found (16.3±3.45). As a result, the hypertension knowledge level of the patients is found to be high in the study. The hypertension knowledge level is higher among the young than the elderly, those who pay regular visits to doctors than those who do not, and university graduates compared to primary school graduates. In order to increase the patients' knowledge level, it is believed that it will be useful to offer training and organize seminars, especially for the elderly, primary school graduates, and those who do not pay regular visits to doctors.