Behaviour of patients with hypertension in relation to their condition : a quantitative study

Abstract

According to Abela (2006), hypertension continues to be one of the most prevalent causes of death and illness and is a very common condition among the Maltese community. The aim of this study was to investigate the behaviour of patients suffering from hypertension in relation to their condition. This quantitative study utilized a non-experimental, exploratory descriptive research design consisting of 25 known hypertensive inpatients in medical wards of a large state-owned general hospital in Malta. Data was collected using self administered, structured closed-ended questionnaires. The results showed that on the whole, the respondents suffering from hypertension seemed, as they stated, to abide to what literature suggests, and altered their behaviour to control blood pressure accordingly. Although the majority of the participants implemented complex dietary changes to control their blood pressure, most of them consumed processed food and ready made meals. Most of the hypertensive patients taking part in this study seemed to have altered their daily habits such as smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption to control their blood pressure levels. On the contrary, regarding physical activity most of the respondents were living a sedentary life with lack of exercise resulting in most of them being overweight and obese. From the results of this study it is recommended that the same study is carried out on a larger scale; processed food and ready made meals should be properly labeled with their nutritional values; and a nurse's clinic is set up to solely emphasize health education and health promotion to clients.