Usefulness of a hypertension education program.
BACKGROUND
Our objective was to assess knowledge about hypertension, its medical consequences in hospitalized patients with hypertension and in their relatives, and to evaluate the usefulness of a simple education program to improve such knowledge.


METHODS
As part of a cohort study, six clinical physicians reviewed the medical charts of all hospitalized patients in the departments of medicine, general surgery, and orthopedic surgery. Patients with the antecedent of hypertension, patients without the antecedent of hypertension but with at least two measurements of blood pressure above normal limits during hospitalization, and the relatives or friends who were accompanying patients with known or unknown hypertension were included. Patients received an education program about hypertension. Knowledge about hypertension and its complications was assessed on the basis of three items before the education program and 4 months later.


RESULTS
A total of 102 patients entered the study and 95 completed it. An association was found between higher education level and knowledge about hypertension; differences were significant with two of the three employed items (P < 0.005). Compared with baseline, knowledge about hypertension was improved 4 months after the education program; differences were significant with the three employed items (P < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Simple and easy-to-implement programs can be useful in improving knowledge about hypertension.
Roca
Bernardino
B
Department of Medicine, General Hospital of Castellon, Castellon, Spain. brocav@meditex.es
Nadal
Elena
E
Rovira
Rosa E
RE
Valls
Sonia
S
Lapuebla
Consol
C
Lloría
Néstor
N
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology