SELF-CARE BEHAVIOR AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADULT HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS ATTENDING WACHEMO UNIVERSITY NIGIST ELENI MOHAMMED MEMORIAL COMPREHENSIVE SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA
Melkamu Kebede Beyoro, Bizuayehu Agafari Dukemo, Habtamu Beyene Jeraro, Awata G. BirukAbstract
Background:
Managing hypertension extends beyond clinical interventions to encompass daily decisions patients make regarding their health. Despite growing recognition of self-care as a cornerstone of chronic disease management, empirical evidence from Ethiopian tertiary care settings remains sparse, particularly in the Central Ethiopian region where this investigation was situated.
Objective:
This investigation sought to quantify self-care behavior patterns and identify their determinants among adult hypertensive patients receiving care at Wachemo University Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.
Methods:
An institutional-based cross-sectional design enrolled 330 hypertension patients from the chronic illness follow-up clinic between March 9 and April 13, 2024. Systematic random sampling selected participants from 900 eligible patients with scheduled appointments. The Hypertension Self-Care Activity Level Effects (H-SCALE) instrument, adapted through forward-backward translation into Amharic and Afan Hadiya and validated by a panel of clinic-based physicians and senior nurses, measured six self-care domains. Trained BSc nurses conducted exit interviews supplemented by medical record abstraction. SPSS version 20 facilitated descriptive statistics, bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses.
Results:
The analytic sample comprised 330 participants (response rate 95.5%). Tobacco avoidance (94.8%) and alcohol abstention (86.4%) were the most prevalent self-care behaviors. Medication adherence reached 59.4%, while physical activity engagement stood at 52.7%. Conversely, weight management (33.6%) and sodium restriction (32.1%) showed substantial room for improvement. Multivariable analysis revealed that participants aged 60 years and above demonstrated 3.21-fold greater odds of medication adherence compared to those aged 18–40 years (AOR = 3.21; 95% CI: 1.53–6.73). Female participants exhibited 2.11-fold higher odds of adhering to low-sodium dietary recommendations than their male counterparts (AOR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.23–3.59).
Conclusion:
While certain self-care dimensions—particularly substance avoidance—are well-established among hypertensive patients at this facility, critical gaps persist in dietary sodium management, weight control, and physical activity. Healthcare delivery should prioritize tailored educational interventions for younger patients, men, and those with recent diagnoses.