Journal of Hypertension: Open Access

Practice Toward Prevention Of Hypertension Among Non-Hypertensive Adults At Shashemene Town, West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Malgarin Desta, Tilahun Ermeko, Desalegn Bekele and Abate Lette

Hypertension prevention practices like physical exercise, healthy diet, avoid smoking and reducing alcohol intake play an important role in controlling hypertension. This study was assessed practice toward prevention of hypertension among non-hypertensive adults in Shashemene Town, West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia from August 2019 to September 2019.

Methods: A Community based cross-sectional study design was employed on adult age resident of Shashemene town and a multi stage sampling technique was used to select 634 participants. Data was collected using structured questioner and Data collection was conducted by trained college students. The data was edited and entered into Epi-info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 21 software. Descriptive and analytical statistics including Bivariate and multivariate analyses was conducted inorder to check the prediction of associations between dependent and independent variables. Ethical considerations were adhered to in protecting the rights of participants.

Result: The Overall practice toward prevention of hypertension was 56.52% out of 634 adults. Based on this study doing Physical exercise at least three times per week were 12.2 times (AOR=16.838, 95% CI: 4.769, 31.230); Participants who do not smoke cigarette were 3.1 times (AOR=3.116, 95 CI: 1.206, 8.054); Participants who do not use high amount of salt in their diet were 3.2 times (AOR=3.249, 95% CI 1.837, 5.746) more likely had practice toward prevention of hypertension as compared with others. It also indicated that there is a strong association between practice to prevent hypertension and age, educational status and Source of health information of the study participants Those age group greater than 36 years old were 2.6 times (AOR=2.617, 95% CI: 1.565, 4.375); Respondents with diploma, degree and more education level were 7.7 times (AOR=15.266, 95% CI: 2.643,22.389); Participants who read written material as source of health information were 3.4 times (AOR=3.364, 95% CI:1.718,6.585) more likely had practice toward prevention of hypertension

Conclusion: Generally More than half (56.52%) of the study participants had good practice to prevent hypertension in respects to answering the given practice question out of 634 respondents. Factors like education level, family history of hypertension and source of health information can positively affect the practice of hypertension prevention.