Hypertension knowledge and control among high blood pressure patients who attend Mutare City clinics September 2022 to February 2023 in Manicaland Province

Abstract

Uncontrolled hypertension can cause complications like renal disease, cerebrovascular accidents, ophthalmic complications, and heart failure. Risks that can be addressed include sedentary lifestyle, too much salt intake, uncontrolled weight, tobacco smoking and excessive alcohol intake. The low socioeconomic status of Mutare city patients, the absence of a General hospital for Mutare patients, absence of resident doctors, shortage of nurses and lack of supported hypertension programs expose clients to poor counselling services or no counselling at all. A cross sectional analytical study was carried out to find the amount of knowledge about hypertension on hypertensive clients who attend Mutare city clinics, to find out if there is any incorrect information circulating in the hypertensive community and to find out if there is an association between hypertension knowledge and good blood pressure control in these clients. The study population are all the hypertensive patients who were diagnosed at least two months prior to the study. A total sample size of 88 participants calculated using Dobson formula was used for this study. The study included all hypertensive clients who were the age of 18 years or above and visited Mutare city clinics for health services during the time of the study Convenience quota sampling was used in this study. Every clinic out of the 8 health facilities that attend outpatients should have supplied 11 hypertensive clients to the study. Data was collected using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Independent variables were the demographics of participants, duration of hypertension and patient source of hypertension information. The dependent variables were hypertension knowledge status and blood pressure control. Data collection was conducted over a period starting September 2022 and ending February 2023. 80% of the participants were concluded to have good hypertension knowledge. Those who had at least a discussion with a health worker were more likely to have better knowledge than those who never had a discussion about hypertension with OR=9.3 (CI=1.9-44.7) p=0.005*. Those 50 years and above were less likely to have good knowledge when compared to those below 50 years of age OR=0.2 (CI=0.04-0.99) p=0.049*. Being skilfully employed OR=12.5 (CI=1.3-115.8) p=0.03* was found to be another patient factor associated with good knowledge about hypertension. There are wrong beliefs among high blood pressure clients of hypertensive medication causing diabetes (35%). 32.9% of patients had incorrect information of traditional and herbal medicines being able to cure hypertension. Those with well controlled blood pressure were found to have poorer knowledge compared to those with poorly controlled blood pressures with OR=0.2 (CI=0.05-0.6) p=0.005*. Hypertensive patients that attend Mutare city clinics have good general hypertension knowledge, but they lack some vital knowledge. Factors that affect significantly the amount of knowledge in hypertensive patients are previous discussion with health worker, the type of employment and age below 50 years. There are beliefs about traditional and herbal medicines as cure to hypertension. Those with well controlled blood pressure have poorer knowledge compared to those with poorly controlled blood pressures.