KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES ON HYPERTENSION IN A COUNTRY IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRANSITION

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is a crucial e lement of hypertension control, but little information is available fr om developing countries where hypertension has lately been recognized as a major health problem. Therefore, we examined KAP on hypertension in a random sample of 1067 adults aged 25 to 64 years from the Seychel les Islands (Indian Ocean). KAP were assessed from an administered str uctured questionnaire. The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension (screening blood pressure [BP] greater than or equal to 160/95 mm HE or taking antihypertensive medication) was 36% in men and 25% in women aged 25 to 64 years. Among hypertensive persons, 50% were aware of th e condition, 34% were treated, and 10% had controlled BP (ie, BP <160/ 95 mmHg), Most persons, whether nonhypertensive, unaware hypertensive, or aware hypertensive, had good basic knowledge related to hypertensi on determinants and consequences, possibly an effect of a nationwide c ardiovascular disease prevention program over the last years, However, favorable outcome expectation, positive attitudes, and appropriate pr actices for hypertension and relevant healthy lifestyles were found in smaller proportions of participants, with little difference between a ware hypertensives, unaware hypertensives, and nonhypertensives. Furth ermore, hypertensive persons with other concurrent cardiovascular risk factors affecting the overall heart risk knew well the detrimental ef fects of these other factors but reported making little actual change to control them (particularly regarding overweight and sedentary habit s). These data point to the need to maximize the efficiency of hyperte nsion prevention and control programs so that delay in achieving effec tive hypertension control is minimized in countries experiencing recen t emergence of hypertension as a major public health problem.