UMMS Affiliation
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Clinical and Population Health Research
Publication Date
2018-3
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Cardiology | Cardiovascular Diseases | Clinical Epidemiology | Epidemiology | Health Services Administration | Health Services Research | Public Health Education and Promotion
Abstract
Objective: To assess patients’ knowledge about hypertension and its association with heart healthy lifestyle practices and medication adherence.
Methods: We conducted a cross sectional survey of 385 adults with hypertension treated at 2 primary care clinics in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. We used an 11-item measure to assess hypertension knowledge and obtained self-reports on dietary changes, engagement in aerobic exercise and medication adherence.
Results: Approximately 85% of patients properly identified high blood pressure, but more than two-thirds were unaware that hypertension lasts a lifetime once diagnosed; one-third were unaware that hypertension could lead to renal disease. Patients with low hypertension knowledge were less likely to reduce their salt intake (OR=0.44 [95% CI: 0.24-0.72]) and eat less to lose weight (OR=0.48 [95% CI: 0.26-0.87]) than patients with high hypertension knowledge.
Conclusion: In general, patients were knowledgeable about hypertension, but most were unaware that hypertension is a lifelong condition and could lead to kidney disease. High knowledge of hypertension was associated with healthy lifestyle practices including eating less to lose weight and dietary salt reduction.
Practice Implications: Intensifying education strategies to improve patients’ knowledge of hypertension may enhance their engagement in heart healthy lifestyle practices for optimal blood pressure control.
Keywords
Blood pressure control, heart healthy lifestyle practices, hypertension knowledge, lifestyle modification, medication adherence, patient awareness, patient counseling, patient education, person-centered healthcare
Rights and Permissions
Copyright 2018 the author(s). Publisher PDF posted as allowed by the publisher's author rights policy at http://bjll.org/index.php/ejpch/about/editorialPolicies#authorSelfArchivePolicy.
DOI of Published Version
10.5750/ejpch.v6i1.1416
Source
Abu HO, Aboumatar H, Carson K, Goldberg R, Cooper L. Hypertension knowledge, heart healthy lifestyle practices and medication adherence among adults with hypertension. European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare. 2018 Apr 30;6(1):108-14. DOI: 10.5750/ejpch.v6i1.1416. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare
Repository Citation
Abu HO, Aboumatar H, Carson K, Goldberg RJ, Cooper L. (2018). Hypertension knowledge, heart healthy lifestyle practices and medication adherence among adults with hypertension. University of Massachusetts Medical School Publications. https://doi.org/10.5750/ejpch.v6i1.1416. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/publications/1
Included in
Cardiology Commons, Cardiovascular Diseases Commons, Clinical Epidemiology Commons, Epidemiology Commons, Health Services Administration Commons, Health Services Research Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons