Assessment of self-care practices among hypertensive patients: a clinic based study in rural area of Singur, West Bengal

Abstract

Background: Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure is a global public health concern. It is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke. It remains silent, being generally asymptomatic during its clinical course and it accounts for a large proportion of cardiovascular deaths; lifestyle modification is the first line of intervention for all patients with hypertension, yet it was never been empirical. The aim of the study was to assess the pattern of self-care practices, if any and also to find out the factors associated with it, among the hypertensive patients in the outpatient department. Methods: A clinic-based, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at health center under RHU & TC, Singur, which is the rural field practice area of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata among 124 hypertensive subjects. Binary logistic regression was done to find out the factors associated with the self-care practices using SPSS software. Results: In the present study, 62.9% of study participants suffering from hypertension had unfavourable self-care practices. Logistic regression showed age above 60 years (OR-3.1), primary level education (OR-5.6), poor socio economic status (OR-2.4), widow/separated (OR-3.3) and people with self-perceived poor health status (OR-2.8)had significant association with unfavourable self-care practices. After adjusting with other variables, age (AOR-2.3) and education (AOR-3.8) remained significant predictor of outcome. Conclusions: The findings revealed that the self-care practices among hypertensive patients were unfavourable in rural area. This calls for a deep need in increasing the awareness about healthy lifestyle among hypertensive patients. This study provides key elements to affect policy changes and social interventions.

Self-care practices and associated factors among adult hypertensive patients in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2018

“…Respondents who had an educational status of college and above had 4.21 [AOR = 4.21, 95% CI 1.304–13.559, p = 0.016] more good self-care practice than those who cannot read and write. This is in line with the study conducted in India [17]. Having good educational status helps individuals to have good knowledge and thus promotes respondents’ good self-care practices.…”

“…Despite the availability of anti-hypertensive drugs and optimal hypertension self-care practices are proved to decrease BP and all cause mortality rate and cardio-vascular morbidities [15, 16], hypertensive patients are suffering from unfavorable self-care practices. Many studies have shown that hypertensive patients have poor self-care practices [17–21].…”

Self-care practice and associated factors among hypertensive patients in public health facilities in Harar Town, Eastern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

“…However, the finding of our study was lower than studies done in Dessie Town, Ethiopia, which was 49% 27 and 37% in a study conducted in West Bengal. 41 The observed difference may be attributed to the difference in data collection instruments used between studies. For instance, the study done in Dessie Town used a hypertensive self-care practice tool containing 20 items each rated four points in Likert-type scale points.…”

Level of Self-care Practice and Associated Factors Among Hypertensive Patients in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, South West Ethiopia

“…Different finding encourage compliance with hypertension self-care practice such as weight reduction, smoking cessation, low salt diet, and physical activity can contribute to controlling blood pressure [8,9]. A clinic based study in rural area of Singur, West Bengal revealed that primary level education, poor socio economic status, widow/separated and people with self-perceived poor health status had significant association with unfavorable self-care practices [10].…”