PREVALENCE, RISK FACTORS, KNOWLEDGE OF HYPERTENSION AND DIETARY INTAKE OF GHANIAN NURSES IN NORTHERN REGION

Abstract

Mortality and morbidity of CVD hypertension coexist with undernutrition in Ghana. Little data are available to address the public health issues. Since nurses are the first line contacts with the general public and patients in providing nutrition and health education, we aimed to document nurses' prevalence, determinants, knowledge and dietary intake of hypertension in northern region of Ghana. A total of 246 nurses (74 men, 172 women) were recruited between May‐July, 2014 to have blood pressure measured in four hospitals and complete questionnaires on their risk factors, knowledge of hypertension and dietary intake for a day. The determinants and differences in knowledge on hypertension among normotensive(<120/80mmHg, n=141, 57%), prehypertensive(120/80‐140/90mmHg, n=95, 39%) and hypertensive(>140/90mmHg, n=10, 4%) nurses were determined by chi‐square tests using SPSS. Significant determinants of hypertension were age, rank in nursing, family history, physical activity levels and knowledge of prevention of hypertension, whereas gender, marital status, religion, BMI, and knowledge of causes, and food and hypertension did not differ among the groups. The majority (73% and 88%, resp) had inadequate K and Ca intake and excess Na, Mg, and P (57%, 74% and 72%, resp); those with inadequate calcium intake had a high odd ratio of pre/hypertension (OR=3.54; 95% CI, 1.09‐11.48). We conclude that nutrition and health education of nurses on risk factors; knowledge and dietary practices are needed for their own health and to empower them to help the public.