Effects of a health education intervention on hypertension-related knowledge, prevention and self-care practices in Nigerian retirees: a quasi-experimental study

• Main Authors: Eyuche L. Ozoemena, Cylia N. Iweama, Olaoluwa S. Agbaje, Prince C. I. Umoke, Osmond C. Ene, Perpetua C. Ofili, Benedicta N. Agu, Charity U. Orisa, Michael Agu, Enejoh Anthony
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2019-05-01
• Series: Archives of Public Health
• Subjects: Hypertension; Intervention; Health education; Knowledge; Prevention; Self-care
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13690-019-0349-x

Abstract Background Education is vital to increasing knowledge, improving prevention and self-care practices for hypertension in older adults. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a health education intervention in improving hypertension (HT) knowledge, prevention and self-care practices among retirees in Enugu State, South-east, Nigeria. Methods In this quasi-experimental study, we enrolled 400 participants in Enugu and Nsukka cities in Enugu State, south-east Nigeria. Participants were assigned to the treatment and control groups. Participants in the intervention/treatment group (T-group) received the intervention provided by public health experts and nurses and participants in the control group (C-group) received health talk without the intervention. Data collected at baseline (before intervention), 16 weeks (4th month) and follow-up (5th month) included demographic variables, knowledge about hypertension, prevention and self-care practices. We used paired samples t-test, Chi-square test and one-way ANOVA repeated measures for data analyses. Results The mean age of the participants was 65.9 (± 8.9) years, the mean SBP and DBP were 136.5 (± 13.3) and 87.9 (± 9.1) respectively. More than half of the participants were (50.3%) were males, and the mean BMI was 23.9 (± 5.1) kg/m2. The paired comparison analysis showed that the mean HT knowledge score significantly increased in the T-group between baseline and 1 month (4th month) post-intervention compared to those in the C-group (P < 0.0001). Also, PA (P = 0.007), sleep pattern and quality (P = 0.003), substance use abstinence (P = 0.000), healthy diet (P = 0.000), and medication adherence (P = 0.000) improved significantly in the T-group compared to the control between baseline and 1 month after intervention. The repeated measures analyses showed statistically significant effects (between-groups analysis) for all outcomes with small to large effect sizes. Similarly, the repeated measures ANOVA analyses showed significant time-by-group interaction effects (within-groups) for all the outcomes with small to large effect sizes. Conclusion Community-based health education intervention targeted at older adults can increase HT knowledge, improve prevention and self-care practices of hypertension at the population level.