Healthcare practitioners’ Knowledge and Awareness on current guideline for management of hypertension in Nigeria: A cross-sectional web-based survey

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease in Nigeria. Adequate knowledge of healthcare practitioners on current guidelines management of hypertension have been associated with a reduction in its morbidity and mortality.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the knowledge and awareness of health workers on current guideline in management of hypertension.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional web-based survey of 396 Nigerian health workers. An adopted self-administered e-questionnaire was used to collect data related to health workers' characteristics. SPSS version 22.0 was used to determine awareness, knowledge scores/grades and descriptive statistics.

Results: Data analyzed showed 54.7% were male and predominant age group 38.5% was 40-49 years. A proportion of 50.8% were specialists and 60.1% practice in tertiary hospitals. Only 41.2% were very familiar with current guidelines though majority 76.7% of the participants were very confident that patients should continue taking their drugs when blood pressure is controlled. The median knowledge score was 2/6 and very few 6.8% had good knowledge grade(5-6/6). No association was found between knowledge grade and studied factors.

Conclusions: The knowledge of the current guidelines is not optimal, even though both international and national hypertension guidelines are available to health workers. There is urgent need for comprehensive nationwide increased awareness and advocacy for its use among healthcare practitioners for effective improvement in the care of patients with hypertension in Nigeria.