Title:
The Socio-Economic Demographics for Adult Hypertensive Patients Attending Thika Level 5 Hospital; Kenya.

Authors:
Okemwa O. Boaz, Dr.Zipporah Ndungu, Ann Thuita, Nyanchama Julie Nyamao, Kenya

Abstract:

1. Introduction: Chronic and non-communicable diseases pose a big health challenge to populations worldwide causing unnecessary suffering and premature deaths. Worldwide, hypertension is the third leading risk factor contributing to death and is common and treatable but uncontrolled hypertension has serious effects. Patient’s knowledge, attitudes and practices have an impact on the management of hypertension and can help formulate a prevention program and improving the existing nutritional management practices if appropriate can cause a major impact on hypertension related complications and mortalities. Objective: To determine the socio-economic demographics among adult hypertensive patients attending the Thika level 5 hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to determine -economic demographics of these patients with respect to the nutritional management of hypertension. An interviewer guided questionnaire was used to collect the data. The Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and nutri- survey were used to analyze the data. Result: A total of 173 patients participated in this study. Slightly more than half; 56% (N=97) were women and the remaining; 44% (N=76) were men. The mean age of the participants was above 40 years old. More than half of the patients (69.9%) were married; single participants accounted for 6.9%, divorced participants for 6.4%, and widowed participants accounted for 16.8% of the total. From the findings, a majority were Christians at 95.4% while the remainder of 4.6% was Muslim. The level of education was low among the study population: a majority 69.9% attaining only up to primary level education, 24.3% had secondary school level of education, and only 5.8% reported to have had tertiary/college education. Conclusion: Patient Socio-economic status of the hypertensive patients aged above 30 years as indicated by their educational levels, occupation and income showed that most of the individuals had at least primary school education. Most of the patients in this community were married and most of them were not on salaried employment and all the members of the study group were categorized in the lower income group. Understanding how these factors affect the management and contribute as risk factors to the disease will help in developing the appropriate care plan. This will ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all in line with the sustainable development goal number 3. It is also important to understand these patient factors in order to develop effective strategies that identify the patient as a key participant in the management of their health.