ABSTRACT
Hypertension is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular problems in public health, at present. It is a leading cause of death worldwide and has been linked to the development of other cardiovascular conditions. This study was carried out to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of dietary control among people with hypertension at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. A retrospective, descriptive survey design was used in the study and one hundred and fifty (150) respondents were included in the study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed by way of frequencies, percentages and chi-square statistics. From the results, socio-demographic data revealed that the respondents were predominantly female (71.3%). On the knowledge of dietary control, 80% of respondents know the meaning of DASH diet, 82.7% of respondents check their weights at least once a month, while 82.0%, 79.3% and 86.7% of respondents know that food, fruits and low fat/cholesterol foods, respectively, can help to manage blood pressure. On attitudes to dietary control of hypertension, control of salt intake, intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, blood pressure checks and exercise were among the most applied hypertension control measures. Factors which were deemed to affect dietary control of hypertension were lifestyle (74.0%), cultural beliefs (62.0%), financial constraints (86.0%) and food preference and taste (90.6%). Pearson chi-square analyses revealed that there was no significant association between the level of knowledge and practice of dietary control among persons living with hypertension (p=0.227). To improve practices, it is recommended that routine monitoring of blood pressure and weights, and the organisation of intervention programmes for people living with hypertension should be done by concerned agencies.
