Development of a Quality Assessment Tool for Hypertension Management by Public Healthcare Providers: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and assess the validity of a quality assessment tool for hypertension management (QAT-HTN), to evaluate the quality of hypertension management by public healthcare providers working in community healthcare centers. Methods: The QAT-HTN was distributed to 528 patients with HTN. The construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses), internal consistency reliability, and concurrent validity of the QAT-HTN were evaluated. Results: A six-subscale measurement model of the QAT-HTN involving blood pressure (BP) control, regular checkups and medicine education, complication prevention and assessment, BP measurement, and lifestyle management was validated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Concurrent validity was evaluated based on correlations with HTN self-care behavior. The Cronbach’s ⍺ coefficient for internal consistency was .92. Conclusion: The QAT-HTN was found to be a reliable and valid measure of the quality of HTN management in Korean community healthcare centers.