Determinants of hypertension care and control among peri-urban Black South Africans: the HiHi study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine determinants of hypertension (HTN) care and control among peri-urban hypertensive Black South Africans.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, descriptive.


METHODS
Public and private primary care sites in three townships near Cape Town, South Africa.


METHODS
403 hypertensive Black patients (183 men, 220 women), ages 35-65 years.


METHODS
The Precede-Proceed Model guided the study. Self-report sociodemographics, medical history, health behaviors, health service utilization, quality of life, social support, and exposure to life threats and illness were assessed. Blood pressure (BP) was measured and height and weight recorded.


RESULTS
Mean BP (mm Hg) was 151/99 for men, 142/88 for women with BP controlled (<140/90 mm Hg) among 33% of men, 44% of women. Patient-related barriers to HTN care included limited HTN-related knowledge, poor quality of life and stressors such as family death. An unhealthy lifestyle involving smoking cigarettes, physical inactivity and using alcohol excessively was common. In regression models of select socioeconomic, lifestyle risk and HTN care variables, significant predictors of lower SBP and DBP or BP control included: fewer antihypertensive medications, better compliance to HTN recommendations, younger age, female, higher education level, not using alcohol excessively, and private sector healthcare.


CONCLUSIONS
This study identified a high level of barriers to HTN control and the need for comprehensive multilevel interventions to improve HTN care and control in this high-risk population. Furthermore, the data illustrate that the Hill-Bone compliance scale can be a practical tool in primary healthcare settings to identify patient-related factors and guide counseling to improve adherence in HTN care.
Dennison
Cheryl R
CR
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Room 419, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. cdennis4@jhmi.edu
Peer
Nasheeta
N
Steyn
Krisela
K
Levitt
Naomi S
NS
Hill
Martha N
MN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013019:South Africa; D013383:Suburban Population