Investigating the relationship between demographic and socio- economic characteristics on the attendance to comprehensive health services center for blood pressure measurement: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives: Many people around the world suffer from hypertension which increases the risk of heart failure and mortality. But most cases are not interested in referring to medical centers to have their blood pressure checked. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of attending Barzok Comprehensive Health Services Center for blood pressure measurement.
 Methods: The current cross-sectional study was performed in 76 hypertensive patients. Demographic and socioeconomic information was collected and compared based on referral to Barzok Comprehensive Health Services Center for blood pressure measurement.
 Results: In this study, out of 76 cases, 10 patients (13.15%) referred to medical centers for blood pressure measurement, 66 cases (86.8%) did not go to medical centers. There was no statistically significant difference in gender and age between the two groups of patients (p>0.05). In addition, the two groups were similar in terms of education level, occupational status, smoking history, and family history of hypertension (P=0.824, P=0.492, P=0.233 and P=0.276, respectively). However, mean systolic blood pressure (118 ± 9.18 mmHg vs 140.55 ± 17.06 mmHg, P<0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (75 ± 8.49 mmHg vs 84.53 ± 8.62 mmHg, P=0.006) in the group of cases referred to Barzok medical center was significantly lower (better) than in cases who did not refer (p<0.05).
 Conclusions: People at high risk for hypertension or those with hypertension regardless of their demographic or socio- economic characteristics or even where they live, should be trained to refer to comprehensive health service centers by creating motivation and insight.