Knowledge, awareness, attitudes and practice about hypertension in hypertensive patients referring to public health care centers in Khoor & Biabanak

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the most crucial health problems and the most common chronic disease in developed and underdeveloped countries. It is called the silent killer which is usually diagnosed incidentally. Although hypertension is a preventable and treatable condition but without treatment it leads to serious and life threatening complications such as heart, kidney and brain disorders which in most cases result in patient's disability. Prevention, plays significant role in controlling this disease which is achieved by increasing the knowledge and awareness of the public and changing their attitude and practice. METHODS: A cross-sectional, correlation-descriptive study was conducted in one stage, by one group. Two hundred and thirty four patients were recruited by random sampling among hypertensive patients referring to public health care centers in Khoor & Biabanak in Isfahan province, IRAN. Data gathering was carried out with a questionnaire. RESULTS: Our findings indicate that there is significant relationship between awareness and knowledge; awareness and attitude; awareness and practice. There is no significant relationship between knowledge and attitude or knowledge and practice. In addition, there is a significant relationship between attitude and practice of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although patients relatively had high awareness, knowledge, attitude and practice about their disease but their hypertension was not still under control. Several barriers are associated with uncontrolled hypertension particularly treatment-related barriers. Findings suggest further studies to determine new effective strategies to solve this problem.