Predictors of interests in nutrition topics and willingness to participate in nutrition programs in public health center by status of awareness and compliance of hypertension in low‐income group

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of the interest in and willingness to participate in nutrition programs of the public health centers by the status of awareness and compliance of hypertension in low-income group. Information of general characteristics, subject's perceived life behaviors, disease history, interest in nutrition programs and the willingness to participate in nutrition programs were collected from 1678 residents aged 30 and over in low-income area of Seoul. And blood-pressure was measured twice by interviewer. Older subjects were significantly more likely to be willing to participate in “Nutrition balanced diet/menu planning”(p<.05) Younger and the normotensive subjects compared to the hypertensive patients who don't aware high blood pressure were significantly more interested in this topic(p<.05) Older and hypertensive patients who don't aware themselves increased the odds of being interest in “Diet therapy for chronic disease/counseling” than Normal. For “Diet therapy for hypertension”, the odds of being interested in this topic of patients, who aware themselves but never treated, were the highest, followed by patients who don't aware themselves, patients who are awared and have been treated, and Normal. The results suggest the need to increase awareness about their bloodpressure and medical treatment is important factor to enhance the effectiveness of hypertension therapy, since the subjects, who are in high compliance of hypertension have more interested in this topic.