Abstract
BackgroundNurses in primary health care settings are key stakeholders in the diagnosis and management of hypertensive patients. Unfortunately, the working conditions of nurses predispose them to stress, long hours of work, shift duties and unhealthy diets, which are drivers of hypertension. Yet nurses are often overlooked in health screening exercises, primarily because they are assumed to be informed and ‘healthy’.AimThis study examined the prevalence, awareness, control and determinants of hypertension among professional primary health care nurses in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.SettingThis was a cross-sectional survey of 203 professional nurses working at 41 primary health care facilities of the Eastern Cape Province.MethodsA modified WHO STEPwise questionnaire was used for data collection during face-to-face interviews. The information obtained included demographic information, behavioural lifestyles, anthropometric and blood pressure (BP) measurements. Hypertension is defined as an average of two BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg or self-reported history of antihypertensive medication use.ResultsThe prevalence of hypertension was 52%. Of this, 41% were unaware of their hypertension status. Of those who were aware and on treatment, only 38.1% had a controlled blood pressure. After adjusting for confounders (for physical activity, dietary practices, parity, income and alcohol use), only age and duration of practice were independent predictors of hypertension among the study population.ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of hypertension among the study participants. There is an unexpected low rate of awareness and suboptimal control of blood pressure among the participants. Age is the significant predictor of hypertension among professional nurses in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. There is an urgent need for the implementation of an effective workplace health programme for nurses in the province.
Highlights
Hypertension is a global public health concern and a marker of complex cardiovascular malady; it is an independent and preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality
This is a risky adventure as undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension potentially increases the chance of developing target organ damage and other life-threatening conditions, whereas early diagnosis affords the opportunity for prompt intervention.[5]
This study sought to determine the prevalence, awareness and control of hypertension among Primary health care (PHC) nurses in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Such information could ascertain the health levels of PHC professional nurses and could contribute towards the design of effective workplace health programmes and policies. This was a workplace, cross-sectional, population study involving 203 PHC professional nurses conveniently selected across 41 PHC facilities in the Eastern Cape Province
Summary
Hypertension is a global public health concern and a marker of complex cardiovascular malady; it is an independent and preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The burden of hypertension in Africa is complicated by under-diagnosis, poor treatment and control, as a result of its asymptomatic nature.[5] This is a risky adventure as undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension potentially increases the chance of developing target organ damage and other life-threatening conditions, whereas early diagnosis affords the opportunity for prompt intervention.[5] Several factors are responsible for the development of hypertension. Among these are behavioural factors such as unhealthy diets, obesity, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol and tobacco use. Nurses are often overlooked in health screening exercises, primarily because they are assumed to be informed and ‘healthy’
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