Perception of Patients with High Blood Pressure in Haitian Hospital Regarding Traditional Medicine

Abstract

In Haiti, high blood pressure (HBP) is a major public health problem. Many patients have uncontrolled blood pressure due to poor adherence to care, which in their case requires. In the North Department, particularly in the city of Cap-Haitian, this pathology continues to increase. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends behavioral measures such as a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, and compliance with treatment in order to reduce this scourge. For sociocultural and economic reasons, some patients resort to traditional medicine/natural medicine. However, the effectiveness of the management of HBP by the latter remains to be proven. In the Haitian hospital environment, professionals are committed to a merciless fight to control this pathology. Irregular control of HBP, neglect, poverty, lack of psychological assistance both in hospital and at home favor the choice of traditional/natural medicine as a first resort to modify their blood pressure figure. The objective of this article is to understand the factors that influence the psychological care of hypertensive patients in the health zone of Cap-Haitian in order to improve psychological care. It also intends to review the prevalence of hypertensive patients using traditional medicine as a curative method to lower their HBP.