title: The knowledge and awareness of hypertension among patients with hypertension in central Poland: a pilot registry.
abstract: We assessed the differences in the knowledge and level of awareness of hypertension among patients with hypertension from Central Poland; 248 (57.6% females) patients diagnosed with hypertension completed a questionnaire. Most (79%) of the patients were unaware of the optimal blood pressure (BP) range. The elderly patients did not know the symptoms of hypertension (23.7%), were not willing to make lifestyle changes (57%-65%), and had a poor awareness of hypertension therapy in the absence of symptoms (28.7%). Poor BP control occurred mainly in rural residents (10.7%) and in people with higher education (39.3%). Untreated patients with hypertension did not know the symptoms of hypertension (29.2%), rarely measured BP (37.5%), but were more likely to engage in regular physical activity (70.8%). Efforts should be made to improve knowledge of hypertension, especially among the rural population, the elderly patients, those with a low-education level, and in young males who had the highest BP.
authors: Department of Hypertension, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Michalska
authors: Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Family Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors: Jacek
authors: J
authors: Rysz
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Boston University, Harvard Clinical Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Pencina
authors: Department of Hypertension and Diabetology, Medical University in Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Zdrojewski
authors: Department of Hypertension, Medical University of Lodz, Poland maciejbanach@aol.co.uk.
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Banach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: awareness; blood pressure; compliance; hypertension; knowledge; therapy