Potential use of a “Blood Pressure Action Sheet” for Indonesian patients with hypertension living in rural villages: a qualitative study

Riana Rahmawati1 Graduate School of Health, Discipline of Pharmacy, The University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia, [email protected];2 Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, [email protected]Correspondence[email protected]

Beata Bajorek1 Graduate School of Health, Discipline of Pharmacy, The University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia, [email protected]

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the study was to obtain feedback on the layout, content, and potential use of a blood pressure (BP) action sheet, a purpose-designed written resource for Indonesian patients with hypertension.

Methods

Telephone interviews were conducted with 13 health professionals, 12 community health workers, and 12 patients in rural Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to explore their impressions of the BP action sheet, how the sheet might affect management of hypertension, and suggestions for improvement.

Results

Participants felt that the sheet presented useful information about achieving the target BP and managing hypertension. The use of the sheet could be optimized by engaging community health workers to help explain the information and to provide assistance around the stated actions for hypertension management. A more attractive design and inclusion of more details were suggested. Both patients and health care workers expressed interest in using the sheet.

Conclusion

The BP action sheet has potential as a useful resource for patients with hypertension by providing information, recording target BP, and facilitating patient-centered communication. Use of the BP action sheet might provide an effective low-cost way for health professionals and community health workers to encourage patients to achieve their target BP.

Keywords:

Supplementary materials

Figure S1 Interview guide.

Figure S2 The Blood Pressure Action Sheet (page 2).

Figure S3 The Blood Pressure Action Sheet (page 4).

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Bantul district government and the head of participating community health centers for the opportunity to perform this study. Our special gratitude goes to the rural villagers, community health workers and health care professionals in the community health centers who participated in the study. We also would like to thank Erna Andriyanti and Haira Rizka for translating the interviews.

Disclosure

The first author was supported by the Directorate General of Higher Education (DIKTI) Indonesia (Grant number 2925/E4.4/K/2013) for her PhD study at the University of Technology Sydney. The second author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.

Author contributions

RR collected the data, analyzed and interpreted the findings, wrote and organized manuscript. BB contributed to the idea, manuscript drafting, interpretation of findings, and critical review of the manuscript. Both authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.