title: Hypertension and Diabetes Self-care Activities: A Hospital Based Pilot Survey in Benin City, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The burden of hypertension and diabetes is on the increase globally with its attendant complications. Although self-care activities are critical to the successful management of both conditions, there are only a few reports on such activities, especially in this part of the world. This pilot study was therefore undertaken to assess the self-care activities among hypertensive and diabetic patients in Benin City.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hypertensive and diabetic patients were consecutively recruited from the out- patient department of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The questionnaires were developed based on past assessment scales such as the Hypertension Self-Care Activity Level Effects (H-SCALE) and the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Assessment (SDSCA) for hypertensive and diabetic participants respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 85(32 hypertensive, 24 diabetic and 29 co-morbid hypertensive diabetic) participants completed the study. Only 14 (16.5%) subjects had good self-care practice, 39 (45.9%) had fair practice while poor self-care practice was found in 32 (37.6%) subjects. Adherence to medications, clinic adherence, use of self-monitoring devices, regular exercising and dietician contact were generally low. However, only a relatively few subjects smoked tobacco or took significant alcohol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The health-related self-care practice among the patients was generally not good. There was no significant difference in the overall level of self-care among hypertensive, diabetic patients or those with co-morbid conditions. There is need for more aggressive health education aimed at improving the current health-related self-care habits among these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa State.
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Egbi
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Ofili
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oviasu