| ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2015 | Volume
: 22
| Issue : 2 | Page : 117-122 |
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Hypertension and diabetes self-care activities: A hospital based pilot survey in Benin City, Nigeria
OG Egbi1, AN Ofili2, E Oviasu3
1 Department of Medicine, Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
2 Department of Public Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria
3 Department of Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
O G Egbi
Consultant Nephrologist, Dialysis Unit, Federal Medical Centre, PMB 502, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
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Aims and Objectives: The burden of hypertension and diabetes is on the increase globally with its attendant complications. Although self-care activities are critical to the successful management of both conditions, there are only a few reports on such activities, especially in this part of the world. This pilot study was therefore undertaken to assess the self-care activities among hypertensive and diabetic patients in Benin City.
Patients and Methods: Hypertensive and diabetic patients were consecutively recruited from the out- patient department of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The questionnaires were developed based on past assessment scales such as the Hypertension Self-Care Activity Level Effects (H-SCALE) and the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Assessment (SDSCA) for hypertensive and diabetic participants respectively.
Results: A total of 85(32 hypertensive, 24 diabetic and 29 co-morbid hypertensive diabetic) participants completed the study. Only 14 (16.5%) subjects had good self-care practice, 39 (45.9%) had fair practice while poor self-care practice was found in 32 (37.6%) subjects. Adherence to medications, clinic adherence, use of self-monitoring devices, regular exercising and dietician contact were generally low. However, only a relatively few subjects smoked tobacco or took significant alcohol.
Conclusion: The health-related self-care practice among the patients was generally not good. There was no significant difference in the overall level of self-care among hypertensive, diabetic patients or those with co-morbid conditions. There is need for more aggressive health education aimed at improving the current health-related self-care habits among these patients. |
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