Medical awareness of rural residents with arterial hypertension - the basis of disease prevention

Abstract

Aim. Assessment of awareness of rural residents with arterial hypertension about the disease, risk factors for its development and prevention. Methods. The study involved 585 patients with arterial hypertension, who are rural residents of Krasnoyarskiy, Volzhskiy and Elkhovskiy districts of the Samara region in 2012-2016: 221 (37.8%) men and 364 (62.2%) women aged 25-65 years (average age 52.5±11.9 years). The disease duration was in average 7.7±3.24 years. The level of medical awareness of arterial hypertension, its risk factors and awareness of individual health indicators were studied using a specially designed questionnaire. Results. As a result of the survey, rural residents suffering from arterial hypertension had a low level of medical awareness: patients were aware of their disease and the main causes of its manifestations in 46.2%; of the main modifiable risk factors - in 17.6%. Of those who participated in the survey, women were more informed - 61.2% vs 38.8% of men (p=0.0431). 61.5% of all respondents had no blood pressure monitors and no skills of blood pressure measuring. The majority of rural residents (74.6%) are not aware of therapeutic training programs on arterial hypertension. Antihypertensive therapy in a significant portion of patients included two drugs, 73.8% of all respondents showed the desire and need for therapeutic training for secondary prevention of arterial hypertension and risk factors of its development, which involves the study and awareness of correction principles of modifiable risk factors of arterial hypertension, the principles of non-drug and drug treatment to reduce medical and social consequences of the disease - disability and mortality. Conclusion. Total medical awareness of the disease was 11.4±3.1 points; awareness of the main causes and manifestations of arterial hypertension was 46.2%, awareness of the main modifiable risk factors was 17.6%, among them men are less informed (38.8%) than women (61.2%; p=0.0431); 74.6% of all respondents did not know about the existence of therapeutic educational schools, among them men are less informed (30.3%) than women (69.7%; p=0.0271).