Beliefs about hypertension among primary health care workers and clients in Nigeria: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of the study was to elicit beliefs about hypertension among Nigerian Primary Health Care clients and workers. BACKGROUND: In many regions of Nigeria, the primary health care facility is usually the only source of formal health care available. Since hypertension is a chronic condition that requires lifelong life style modification and drug treatment, it is important to understand the context and background to the condition through the beliefs and perceptions among both lay persons and health care providers who manage the condition. SETTING: Rural and urban primary health care facilities in the Federal Capital Territory Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: A total of Eighty-one (81) primary health care clients and workers participated in the study. METHODS AND OUTCOME MEASURE: A qualitative research using interviews, focus group discussions and reflective work as sources of data collection. The outcome measures were emerging themes from thematic framework analysis. RESULTS: There were four themes that summarize beliefs of both PHC workers and clients namely: (1) Meaning of hypertension (2) causes of hypertension, (3) Consequences of hypertension (4) Perceptions of treatment, one additional distinct theme was elicited among PHC workers “contextual explanation”. However, under each of the shared four themes, there were both similarities and differences in beliefs expressed between PHC workers and clients. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights important similarities and differences in beliefs about hypertension among primary health care clients and primary health care workers that have significant implications for management of hypertension in primary care settings in Nigeria.