Abstract
Background Patients with hypertension need to be aware of various aspects of hypertension and exercise self-care. But, there is limited information regarding this issue. Objective of the Study. This study was designed to assess knowledge on hypertension and self-care practice among adult hypertensive patients in the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 hypertensive patients from April to May 2019. The study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as percentage and frequency of patients' knowledge on hypertension and their self-care practice were computed. Cross-tabulation was used to see the frequency and percentage of selected sociodemographic variables and knowledge level with self-care practice subscales. Finally, the results were summarized and presented in texts, figures, and tables. Results Among the study participants, 215 (56%) and 228 (59.4%) had good knowledge and self-care practice towards hypertension, respectively. The participants who had good knowledge had good self-care practice frequency. Conclusions In this study, knowledge on hypertension was low, while self-care practice was moderate on the self-care interventions. Hence, increasing patients' awareness and intervention on medication adherence, low salt diet consumption, physical activity, weight management, cigarette smoking cessation, and alcohol consumption reduction is important.
Highlights
Patients with hypertension need to be aware of various aspects of hypertension and exercise self-care
Patients have to be counseled on lifestyle changes when they visit their health facility and take measures regarding self-care [2,3,4]. e selfcare involves medication adherence, eating low-fat diet, regular physical exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, not smoking, weight reduction, self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP), regular health care visit, and reducing stress [5,6,7,8,9,10]
In South India, 52.4% of hypertensive patients had average or good knowledge [13], and 14%–56% were aware of hypertension in Nepal [14]
Summary
More than 80% of the burden of hypertension in low-income and middle-income countries is because of the lack of information and poor self-care practice [1]. E selfcare involves medication adherence, eating low-fat diet, regular physical exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, not smoking, weight reduction, self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP), regular health care visit, and reducing stress [5,6,7,8,9,10]. In a study conducted in Western Nepal, more than 55% of patients involved in their own care in each selfcare practice components (70% did not take alcohol/quit smoking, 80.6% took low fat and salt diet, 69.7% monitored their BP regularly, 58.2% reduced their stress, and 85% used medication regularly) [21]. In another study conducted in outreach clinic of South India indicated that 11.4%, 49.2%, and 39.2% hypertensive patients had good, average, and poor self-care practice, respectively [13]. Erefore, this study is designed to assess knowledge on hypertension and self-care practice among adult hypertensive patients
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