(228) Self-care Practices Intervention among Adults with Uncontrolled Hypertension in Ibadan, Nigeria

Publication Number: 561

Background: WHO recommends self-care practices as essential to managing chronic diseases, including hypertension. There is dearth of studies on self-care practices among patients with hypertension in Nigeria.

Objectives: To determine the effect of a 3-month self-care practices intervention on Blood Pressure (BP) control among adults with uncontrolled hypertension.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study design was conducted in a Community Medical Centre in Ibadan. The study recruited adults aged 40 years and above with uncontrolled hypertension. Two hundred and seventy-four participants were randomised to intervention (137 participants). The intervention group received a Specific Adapted Instruction Protocol on self-care practices in hypertension, while the control group received non-specific clinical instruction. The awareness and performance of hypertension self-care practices were obtained at baseline and three months after the intervention with an H-SCALE tool. The primary endpoint was BP control, while the secondary outcomes were changes in participants' awareness and performance of hypertension self-care practices. Data was analysed with SPSS version 23.

Results: The mean age, intervention versus control group, was 63.2 ±11.9 versus 61.4±12.4years. At three months post-intervention, 122(89.1%) versus 85(62.0%) participants had BP controlled. Participants in the control group had an increased risk of poor BP control: relative risk (95% CI, p-value), 2.62 (1.62-4.81, p< 0.0001). There was a 23.3% and 25.3% increase in the awareness level of hypertension self-care practices in the intervention and control groups. There was no difference in the effect of an intervention on the awareness of hypertension self-care practices between the intervention and control group, relative risk (95% CI, p-value), 0.67(0.36-1.58, p=0.124).

Conclusions: A short-term self-care practice intervention improved BP control and awareness of hypertension self-care practices among adults with uncontrolled hypertension in Ibadan, Nigeria.