self-care practice

Background: Poor knowledge about hypertension can lead to poor attitude towards the disease which may directly affect patients self-care practices towards hypertension. Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards hypertension of hypertensive patients receiving care in Kogi state Specialist hospital, Lokoja, Kogi state Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted among Hypertensive patients receiving care in the Kogi State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja, Kogi state. All hypertensive patients visiting the Kogi State Specialist Hospital during the period of study and have given consent were allowed to participate in the study. A well designed questionnaire was used to collect patients soci-demographic and clinical variables. Also, a validated questionnaire was used to assess patients Knowledge, attitude and practice towards hypertension. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS for windows, Version 16.0. SPSS Inc. 2007.Chicago, USA) software. Continuous data were presented as mean± standard deviation while categorical data were presented as percentages and frequencies. Chi square and correlation test was also used to examine association between the variables in the data collected. Results: A majority of the patients were aged 46-55 years 89 (27.5%), while almost half of the patients were males 161 (54.6%). About half of the patients 141 (43.5%) were selfemployed while a majority of the patients had at least a tertiary education 173 (53.4%). Only 4 (1.2%) of the patients reported that they had no formal education. About 60% of the patients reported to have had hypertension for 6-10 years while only 170 (57.4%) of the patients reported not to have any family history of hypertension. Also, only half of the patients 164 (50.6%) had their blood pressure controlled. Only one quarter of the patients had good knowledge and attitude towards hypertension. Also, only 4 (1.3%) patients had a good practice towards hypertension. There is a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.287, p < 0.001). Also, there is a fair positive correlation between Knowledge and practice (r = 0.254, p =

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a common health problem in the world and Africa including Ethiopia. Its complication is the major cause of morbidity and mortality of people due to improper self-care practice. Objective: To assess self-care practices and associated factors among type 2 adult diabetic patients on follow-up clinic of Dessie referral hospital, Ethiopia. Method: Institutional based cross sectional study was conducted. Total of 278 type 2 diabetic patients was selected by systematic random sampling technique and data was collected by interviewer administered pretested questionnaire. Epidata 3.1 and SPSS version 23 software were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. In bivariate analysis, variables having a p - value of < 0.2 were entered to multivariate analysis model and statistical significance was declared at p - value of < 0.05 and 95% confidence interval. Results: The response rate was 269 (96.76%) of the total 278 participants. Among the respondents 150(55.8%) had good diabetic self-care practice. This study showed that primary school education level (AOR=2.592, 95%CI=1.104-6.087, p = 0.029), secondary school education level (AOR=3.873, 95%CI=1.325-11.323, p = 0.013), college/university graduate (AOR=3.030, 95%CI=1.276-7.197, 0.012), attended diabetic education regularly (AOR=2.981, 95%CI=1.050-8.462, p = 0.040), member of diabetic association (AOR=3.496, 95%CI=1.440-8.483, p = 0.006) and having glucometer at home (AOR=2.634, 95%CI=1.357-5.111, p = 0.004) were significantly associated with diabetes self-care practice. Conclusion: Nearly half of diabetic patients had poor self care practice. Hence, there is a need to improve diabetic self-care practice. Attention should be given by policy makers, Dessie referral hospital, health care professionals, diabetic associations and researchers.