Knowledge of hypertension and its management among hypertensive patients on chronic medicines at primary health care public sector facilities in South Africa; findings and implications

ABSTRACT

Background: There are high growing prevalence rates of hypertension in South Africa. Consequently, there is a need to assess knowledge and management among hypertensive patients receiving chronic medication from primary health care (PHC) facilities in South Africa as a basis for improving future management. This is important as South Africa seeks to improve its management of chronic diseases.

Methods: Descriptive, quantitative study amongst chronic hypertensive patients in the chronic disease programme. Patients were interviewed face-to-face by trained pharmacists using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: Half (53.7%) of the patients had uncontrolled blood pressure (BP). Less than a third of patients (27.7%) knew what hypertension is, the meaning of recorded BP numbers (4.5%), and what normal BP should be (19.9%). All patients who knew the meaning of BP numbers had formal education (p = 0.047). Only 15.6% of the 56.0% patients, who received hypertension information, received it on antihypertensive medicines specifically.

Conclusions: The majority of the patients lacked hypertension specific knowledge and only half had controlled BP. Interventions to improve the control of high BP should be targeted at closing knowledge gaps as part of the current chronic treatment initiatives in South Africa to ensure the benefits of increased access to care are realized.

KEYWORDS:

• Chronic medication
• hypertension
• knowledge
• primary health care
• South Africa

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the patients for their time and willingness to participate in this study. Special appreciation goes to the PHC facilities’ personnel for their support and the following pharmacists who assisted with the data collection: Ms RG Dleve, Ms LP Mathabi, Mr NJ Tsita, Mr VA Mathonsi, Ms N Netshiavha, Ms MC Masingi, Mr TC Raphiri, Ms I Tauatswala, Ms P Maluleke, Ms Chauke and Ms T Raulisa. Prof HS Schoeman is acknowledged for his assistance with the statistical analysis of the data.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Author contributions

EMR, JCM and EH conceptualized and developed the research, initiated the research and performed data analysis. EMR, JCM BBG edited and appraised the paper during the various stages of production. All authors approved and permitted the submission of this paper to this journal.

Additional information

Funding

The preparation of this paper was in part sponsored by the Karolinska Institutet.