The relationship between knowledge levels of complications of hypertension and health seeking behaviours among hypertensive patients aged 46-45 years at Parirenyatwa group of hospitals

Abstract

This correlational study was premised on the basis that increasing knowledge levels of complications of any disease directly translates into concomitant health seeking behaviors. A sample of 80 hypertensive patients, conveniently selected, aged between 45 and 65 years at a major referral hospital, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Zimbabwe, was used to determine any potential relationship between knowledge levels of complications of hypertension and health seeking behaviors. A questionnaire, which was divided into three sections, was used to collect data during the month of April 2014. Approval to carry out the study was granted by the study site and relevant research ethics committees. A written informed consent was obtained from prospective participant. Data was collected using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and means were used to analyze demographic data, health seeking behaviors and knowledge levels of complications of hypertension. Inferential statistics, in particular Pearson’s correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between knowledge levels of complications of hypertension at 5% significance level. Findings showed that there is a weak, positive statistically significant correlation between knowledge levels of complications of hypertension and health seeking behaviors (r=0,345**, R2 = 11.9%, p<0.01). This prompts a need to increase public awareness on hypertension, its complications and other hitherto neglected non communicable diseases (NCD’s) in Zimbabwe. Medical-surgical nurses are therefore implored to vigorously educate hypertensive patients and the community in general, about complications of hypertension thereby increasing patients’ knowledge levels hence improving health seeking behaviors.