ABSTRACT

Currently hypertension is a growing public health problem in many developing countries including Rwanda. However, its knowledge among patients has not yet investigated in Rwanda. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the patient’s knowledge, attitude and practice towards risk factors of hypertension in Bugesera District Hospital. Patients knowledge, attitude, and practice are critical in controlling hypertension.Therefore, the findings of this study will provide evidence, which could be used to set up new long-term strategies to educate patients or community about poor health outcome related with hypertension. This study was conducted under descriptive cross-sectional research design by using quantitative approach. The target population in this study was outpatients who were seeking health care at Bugesera District Hospital during data collection period. Target population was 24515 outpatients who annually attend outpatient’s department of Bugesera district hospital. The sample size was estimated according to a standard method by using Cochran formula for single cross-sectional survey. Sample size for the current study was 340 outpatients from Bugesera District Hospital. A face-to-face structured questionnaire was used to collect data for all participants at the outpatient department. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS. Prevalence of hypertension was estimated, knowledge, attitude and practices about hypertension were analyzed by looking hypertension threshold, hypertension risk factors, and complications as a result of hypertension. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the lifestyle factors associated with hypertension. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals was estimated. Two-tailed p-values less than 0.05 was considered significant. The study was approved by Mount Kenya University. Written informed consent was obtained from all study participants. After data quality check and missing remove, out of 340 study participants, data from 272 outpatients from were used for analysis. Of them 77 (28.3%) were aged 26-35 years. The majority of respondents 172(63.2%) were female, 180(66.2%) married, and 207(76.1%) lived in rural area. The prevalence of hypertension was 22.1%. Lower knowledge about the risk factors of hypertension was strongly observed where 216 (79.4%) participants reported low knowledge on the risk factors of hypertension. 23.2% patients knew that stress or anxiety can increase the risk of hypertension. This finding showed that 44.9% of respondents had good attitude towards hypertension prevention measures. Respondents revealed that stress reduction, lifestyle change, regular medication, and regular BP measurement should be followed as hypertension prevention measures. Our study revealed significantly higher odds for hypertension among smokers and individuals with less physical activity as compared to high level of physical activity. Smoking [AOR=1.16; 95%CI: (1.26-2.65), p=0.025] and lack of physical exercises [AOR=2.48; 95%CI: (2.15-5.49), p=0.009] were significantly associated with increased risk of hypertension. Health facility programs that consider the identified risk factors might help the prevention of hypertension not only among patients but also entire community